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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27573608">The Tenant</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/saintmichael/pseuds/saintmichael'>saintmichael</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Murder, Possession, Witch AU, familiar!adam, witch!michael</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:02:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>42,105</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27573608</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/saintmichael/pseuds/saintmichael</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a strange bird at Adam's window, and he lets it in to fix its injury. He also lets in the ancient witch's soul that has been clinging onto the bird for survival. The witch is very grateful to be taken in by such a generous familiar, and makes sure to take care of him in kind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Michael/Adam Milligan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>81</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Raven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Adam came upstairs to his room after dinner one night, there was a big black raven sitting on the window ledge outside, looking straight into his room. He went over to get a better look at it, and it tilted its head up to meet his stare evenly. There was something very strange about it. Something intelligent. Another familiar?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was holding one of its wings awkwardly half-open, and Adam realised it was injured. Animal or familiar, he couldn’t let it sit out there with a broken wing. He released the seal on his window and opened it up just enough to let the raven in. It remained where it was, still holding its gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on in,” he said tiredly. “I’m not a vet, but maybe we can fix you up a little.” Upon receiving his invitation, the bird hopped onto the windowsill inside, looking around Adam’s bedroom with evident curiosity. Adam’s forehead creased with worry. Now that the seal wasn’t shielding him from it, he was positive it wasn’t an animal. Nor a familiar. He didn’t know what he had just let into the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He coaxed the bird onto his arm and gently let it down on his desk, where he’d be able to see it a little better. “What d’we got here? A broken wing?” he asked as he very carefully extended the wing out. The wing itself seemed fine; instead, there was a large gash in the bird’s body that it must have been trying to avoid touching with the wing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeez,” Adam muttered, turning to pull out a first aid kit from his drawer. “Someone throw a rock at you or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The raven nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Adam said sheepishly. “That sucks.” He cleaned up the wound - hopefully his antibiotics weren’t toxic to bird-demons or whatever this thing was - and wrapped a bandage around the bird’s body. “Any more gaping wounds?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The raven shook its head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Adam hesitated. His family would kill him if they knew he’d let some kind of monster into the house, but he couldn’t morally kick the creature out while it was still injured. “You can stay in here for the night,” he decided. “But then you gotta leave when I leave for class.” No one would come in here in that time, he figured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bird didn’t respond in any way, but it swivelled its head to follow him as he went over to shut the window and reseal it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The raven occupied most of his desk, which he now needed to study. He cautiously picked it up once more and relocated it to the shelf above his desk. “There you go,” he murmured. The bird almost looked haughty as it stared down at him from its new position. Adam shook his head and cracked open a textbook. The thing was probably more scared than anything else.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He blearily opened his eyes to a great fog covering his vision. His head felt like there was a thick warm blanket wrapped around it, and there was a heavy weight pushing down the rest of his body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Landlord?” a deep voice said, sounding like it was coming from far away even though a warm breath of air brushed his cheek as it spoke. “Can you hear me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Adam tried to say, but his throat was all clogged up and couldn’t produce any sound. Soft lips pressed against his ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am sorry, Landlord. I am weak. I will visit you another night,” the voice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you?” Adam failed to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lips moved to his forehead and gave him a gentle kiss before he was dragged back down into darkness.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Adam woke up the next morning, he had the distinct feeling that he had something to remember. His dream? But try as he might he couldn’t recall any of it. He shook his head. It would probably come back to him later. It was probably just the racecar one again or something equally dumb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he sat up, his eyes met with the raven perched on the other side of the room, still staring straight at him. “Uhh, hey,” he croaked out. “Good morning. Sleep well?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It cocked its head at him, which was probably the most response he’d get out of it, he figured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got showered and dressed and headed down for breakfast. He ate quietly and nervously, hoping no one would ask, “Do you have a giant bird of unknown magical origin in your room?” and luckily he was ignored as per usual. He was a terrible liar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He returned to his room and unsealed the window. “You’re, uh, okay to go outside today, right?” he asked the bird. It nodded, which eased some of the guilt burdening Adam’s mind. It hadn’t really done anything to deserve being kicked out. But Adam didn’t have a choice, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The raven extended its rather large wingspan and flew over to the windowsill. It had to retract them to fit through the window cavity and get to the ledge outside, where it immediately turned around and continued to stare at Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. You’re gonna wait there?” Adam said in surprise. The bird didn’t respond, so Adam reluctantly closed the window and resealed it once more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t have time to think about his guest too much at college that day. Tuesdays were packed - an hour of bio lecture followed by an hour of lab, then his English tutorial, then a two hour maths lecture, then a quick hour for lunch before his two hour psychology lecture and then his maths tutorial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he was rushing from the bio lab to the English hall, he almost bumped into a dude who was looking down his phone as he strolled right in the middle of the footpath. He shot Adam a nasty glare even though Adam was the one that sidestepped to avoid him just in time, and it pissed him off. He flipped him the bird and continued to hurry off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The maths lecture hall was as packed as ever, but strangely quiet as people spoke in hushed whispers rather than yelling at each other at full volume like usual. Adam slid in his regular seat next to Claire, a witch in his coven, who was looking a bit paler than usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something happen?” he asked casually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she said, sounding less casual. “A guy was found dead near the science labs like, half an hour ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam froze. What?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leaned in and said quietly, “Heart attack. Supposedly. But Alex went and had a peek, and she thinks it might be witchwork. No markings, just a faint aura around his body. Be careful, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re the only coven in this city, though, right?” he whispered back. “No one would… I mean…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged. “Just cause we’re the only coven doesn’t mean there aren’t independent witches wandering around. Just keep an eye out, dude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was the guy a witch? Or familiar?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah. Just a human.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, great. Now Adam had two things to worry about. The whole campus was abuzz with the news of the death - apparently the dead guy had been young and perfectly healthy before dropping dead from a heart attack. It made Adam queasy to hear about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raced home as soon as he finished his last class, instead of hanging back like he normally did. His half-brothers and his dad were convening in the living room when he walked in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” he said, and only Sam looked up at him. “Did you guys hear about the -“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we did,” Sam said, cutting him off with a bit of a grimace. “We’re looking into it. Don’t worry.” He looked back down at the file in his hands and Adam, feeling dismissed, went up to his room once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dumped his bag on his desk and sat on his chair with a sigh. “Jeez,” he muttered, leaning back and closing his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A tapping sound started up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to ignore it, but after a minute of relentless tapping he opened his eyes and looked at the sound. The raven was pecking at the window with its beak, eyes as fixated on him as ever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hauled himself up and opened up the window for his bird friend. “And what’s wrong with you? Get hit by another rock?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bird hopped inside the room and flew to its perch on Adam’s shelf. “Hey, come on,” Adam complained. “I didn’t say you could live here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bird didn’t respond. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, fine,” Adam said, clearing his desk and sitting down. “Come here so I can check your injury.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The raven cocked its head but obediently jumped down to Adam’s desk. Adam removed the bandages and was a little stumped to find the gash had completely healed already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh,” he muttered. “What kind of creature are you, again?” He couldn’t heal that fast, even in his fox shape. He stroked the bird’s head thoughtfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bird remained silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. Well, I can’t let you stay here. I’ll get in trouble,” Adam explained. He held his arm out to the bird and thankfully it climbed aboard straight away. When he took it back to the window, however, it was reluctant to get off, and swung its head around to look at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” Adam urged. “You got those big black wings, don’t you? You don’t need to stay here.” He shook his arm a little. The raven didn’t budge. He spent a few minutes trying to coax it out the window before giving up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just don’t make a mess,” Adam said, coming back to his desk. The raven launched off his arm and calmly settled on its shelf-perch once more. “Do you need something to eat?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It shook its head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adam opened his eyes to fog once more. Oh - he remembered this - he’d had the same dream last night, hadn’t he? This time, his vision started to clear as he blinked rapidly. He could make out a figure with long, silvery hair bending down over him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Landlord,” said the deep voice. It must have been coming from the figure, though it still sounded like it was from far away. “Can you hear me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” said Adam, still trying to blink away the fog. The man’s face was pale and all sharp angles. It relaxed into a wide smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. Thank you for looking after me, Adam. I do appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re welcome,” Adam said, confused. What had he done other than lie here?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When I have recovered my strength, I will pay you back in whatever way you wish,” the man promised. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cool,” said Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man studied him for a few minutes, as Adam continued to lazily lie there, before he pressed his lips to his forehead and sent him plunging back into deep sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The bird was happy enough to go outside the window when Adam had to go to school. He didn’t quite get it. “Man, you really just want to hang out with me, don’t you?” he said sarcastically to it as it perched on the window ledge. “Didn’t realise I was so popular.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His other brother Dean stopped him on his way out of the house. Adam turned to him with a smile, panicking internally as he tried to think of excuses about the bird. But Dean just said, “Hey, be careful today. And keep an eye out for anything weird.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh - right - heart attack dude. “Sure,” Adam said, trying not to sound too relieved. Dean slapped his shoulders and let him go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His schedule today was a lot more sparse - a big four hour chunk of nothing in the middle of the day - so Adam decided to head to the library and see if he could find any information on bird monsters that just liked to chill out in familiar’s bedrooms. As he was crossing the street to the library, a car came hurtling down the road and slammed the brakes right in front of him. He turned and saw a pissed lady in a huge SUV yelling at him. “I’m on a fucking crossing!” he yelled back at her. “Learn how to drive!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know exactly what he was looking for in the library, so he just grabbed a bunch of books on magical creatures and shapeshifters and that kind of thing, sat down at a table and took notes on how to identify them. The bird didn’t seem to do much of anything, so it wasn’t like he could figure out what it was just by flipping through the bestiary. He was going to have do some tests. It excited him a little. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>An hour in it was difficult to concentrate as ambulance and police sirens started going off like crazy outside the library. Adam headed to the library cafe to grab a coffee and a sandwich and eventually it died down enough for him to go back to work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he got home he was surprised to see a similar scene to yesterday, but Uncle Bobby and other members of the coven had joined his father and brothers in sitting around the coffee table looking through files. Sam actually sprang up when Adam came in and quickly pulled him into a corner of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Adam, hey,” he said, sounding strangely breathless. “You didn’t - you didn’t see any strange witches around your college today, did you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Adam replied, dread slowly forming in the pit of his stomach. “Did something else happen? This is a lot of people for one heart attack…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Uh, a woman suffocated to death a couple of blocks away from your college.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Suffocated?” Adam asked. That was kind of a weird way to phrase it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. She didn’t choke on anything, didn’t get attacked, was just walking along and then… all the air left her lungs and she suffocated. A bunch of people witnessed it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… definitely magic.” Adam didn’t like this. The urge to shift was crawling up his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t see anything?” Sam seemed a bit resigned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, sorry. Uhh, what time was it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Around one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. I was in the library.” Adam stopped to think. “Oh yeah, I heard the ambulance. That’s it, though. Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s okay.” Sam gave him a half-smile. “Sorry to freak you out like this. I’ll let you go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam gratefully shifted into the fox and scarpered up the stairs to his room. He pulled out some of his toys and was playing with them in an attempt to take his mind off of things when a familiar tapping started up again. He leapt up to the windowsill and pressed his nose against the glass opposite where the raven was pecking at it.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>&lt;Can you hear me?&gt; </span>
  </em>
  <span>he asked as curiosity struck him. It stopped in its efforts and nodded at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> &lt;</span>
  <em>
    <span>Can you speak like this?&gt; </span>
  </em>
  <span>he asked, and waited, and waited, and eventually the bird shook its head slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>&lt;That’s okay. I can speak enough for the two of us,&gt;</span>
  </em>
  <span>he said. After a pause, the raven pecked at the window once more, a strong, final peck. Getting the message, Adam shifted back into the human and opened it up for his bird friend. It climbed right in and flew straight to its perch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, there’s someone that knows exactly what he wants,” he said wryly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took out the notebook that he had been using at the library and flipped it open to his research notes. “So, since you can’t talk, I found some ways to figure out exactly what you are. Uhh… well, half of these need stuff like silver or iron or holy water, and I probably shouldn’t bother my family right now to try and get them, but we’ll try the other ones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had a surprising amount of fun that afternoon, chanting nonsense words and shining mirrors at his bird and showing it sigils. He didn’t get any results, but it was fun.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Adam,” the deep voice said, as a hand gently stroked through his hair. Adam leaned into the touch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You came back,” he said quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm? I never left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Adam said. He opened his eyes and smiled at the man poised so carefully over his body. “You don’t have to bend over like that. Come cuddle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cuddle?” the man asked in confusion, but allowed Adam to pull him down until he was lying next to him. “Oh. You’re one of </span>
  <em>
    <span>those </span>
  </em>
  <span>familiars, are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam made a questioning noise at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mind,” said the man, continuing to stroke his hair. “I’ve never been romantic with a familiar before, but I’m sure it will be an enjoyable experience. Perhaps it will improve the channeling as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Channeling? “You’re a witch,” Adam said in realisation, and squinted at him. “A </span>
  <em>
    <span>naked </span>
  </em>
  <span>witch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man laughed, a deep rumbling laugh that vibrated through Adam’s body. “This is your dream. You select how many clothes I am or am not wearing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m dreaming?” Adam asked, disappointed. He thought this was real.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am not yet strong enough to speak to you in the waking world. I tried today, but.” He shook his head. “Well, your dreams will have to do for now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you wear clothes in the waking world?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Little fox, what is your obsession with my clothes?” The witch was clearly amused. “I suppose I will wear clothes, when I have a body of my own again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have a body of your own?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Adam. I must thank you once again for allowing me to stay here. Your body is much more comfortable than the raven’s.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” Adam asked. Well, he was happy to help. He snuggled up against the witch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have been recovering very quickly ever since you let me in,” the witch continued. “Perhaps you will be able to hear me tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you try my phone?” Adam mumbled. He was getting sleepy again. Wasn’t he already asleep, though?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man laughed and didn’t answer, instead wrapping his arm around Adam’s body as he lost consciousness.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adam woke up feeling achingly lonely. He approached the raven whose stare was at least soothingly constant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey buddy. Seems like today’s gonna be one of those days, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed like half the coven had joined them for breakfast, the cramped room filled with hushed whispers about the two deaths. It would be funny if it wasn’t so horrific. The two deaths would seem completely unrelated to regular humans. Here, it’s seen as a serial killer on the rise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mom stopped him on his way out the door that morning. “You’re going to school today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a lab,” Adam told her. He knew why she would be concerned but he couldn’t miss a lab.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well…” she straightened his collar out. “Be careful. Come straight home if you sense anything strange.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His plan was just do the lab and come home. He could watch lectures online at home; that wasn’t a problem. He was a little freaked out going to campus and most everyone was as chill as ever. He overheard a few people in passing gossiping about the woman that suffocated but that was it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The douchey guy in his lab group was at his worst today. Randall would be super controlling of the lab, yell at people for not doing tasks quick enough while he fucked up his own tasks, in order to force the group to tell him to back off so he could sit there and not do any work. They all hated him by this point but they had been to the teacher and she just said to work it out amongst themselves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today he was already slacking off but still kept making snippy little comments at everyone. Just ‘cause, Adam supposed. He tried to focus on his work but he felt like he was about to snap at any second.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was seething when the two hours were over and packed his things in silence. He was gonna go home and take a nice long bath. Yeah…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He headed out the door and down the hall when there was a loud, sickening snap behind him. People started screaming and yelling and Adam turned in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Randal. Lying face-up on the ground. But his body was… it was chest-down, butt-up. He was perfectly still. The world around Adam dimmed and quietened as he realised. Oh…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>People were screaming, running away. Magic? Was the killer here? He couldn’t see…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was the fox before he knew it and he was running, running away, to home. The world shifted and slid around him as he ran through a path of golden and green light that swept him through the metaverse. When he reached the end of the path minutes later he leapt out into the physical realm into the Winchester house. Mom and Sam were having coffee in the living room and they looked up as Adam burst in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam?” Mom said in alarm. “Baby, what’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam ran to his mother and jumped up on her lap. Safe, safe. Mom would keep him safe. He twitched nervously. He was gonna get murdered. He -</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I will not kill </span>
  </em>
  <span>you, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Landlord. You are under my protection. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam jumped at the voice in his head. Mom grabbed him and started scratching his head soothingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam, what happened? We can help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam had put down his coffee and laptop and was staring at Adam with worry. Right. They wanted the murderer. Adam was a witness now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>&lt;</span>
  <em>
    <span>Randal,&gt; </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adam said. &lt;</span>
  <em>
    <span>Neck snapped. Outside class.&gt;</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who?” Sam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Outside your class, baby? Was there anyone else there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>&lt;</span>
  <em>
    <span>Lots of people. We were all leaving.&gt; </span>
  </em>
  <span>He was struggling to think of something useful to say. &lt;</span>
  <em>
    <span>I didn’t see any witches.</span>
  </em>
  <span>&gt;</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s okay, baby,” Mom said gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door slammed open and Dad strode in, followed by Dean and then a horde of other witches. They must have all come in through the shed portal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s been another death at the college,” Dad said, addressing Sam. “A kid’s neck was snapped in front of dozens of witnesses. No one touched him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Dad,” said Sam. “Yeah, Adam just told us. He was there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He -” John paused, noticing his youngest son hiding on his mother’s lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They did it right in front of him? This guy is getting bold,” Mary said, pushing past the other witches to come crouch in front of Adam. “Did you see who did it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam says there weren’t any witches there,” Kate said, calmly wrapping a protective arm around Adam. “What kind of witch could slip past a familiar’s notice? Maybe it’s a curse of some kind, instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or maybe he wasn’t paying attention. You know what he’s like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I?” Mom stood up, forcing Mary to back away a couple of steps. “We should go upstairs. Don’t want to get in your way.” Adam clung onto Mom’s shirt as she brought him up to his bedroom. She placed him on the bed and sat next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we’d best stay in the house until this is sorted out. It’s getting too dangerous, honey.” She glanced to the side and did a double-take. “Oh!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam looked over. It was his raven perched on the window-ledge as usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway,” Mom said, trying to recover from being startled. It was funny. Adam couldn’t help but feel a little bit better. “I know things are a bit scary right now. But just stay close to me and everything will be alright, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah. Adam muzzled his nose into his mom’s side. She jumped again as the raven suddenly spread its enormous wings and vaulted from the window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam felt a tiny sting of sadness in his chest. Where was it going?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ve just sent the raven to hunt, Adam. It needs more sustenance now that I have mostly vacated it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The voice again. He wasn’t imagining it… right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who are you? he tried to think loudly without using his actual telepathy.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m your witch.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam didn’t have a witch. He - and then he did remember. The voice was the same from his dreams. That man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He did his best to collect himself and reshape himself into his human form.  Mom watched him, worried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom - I’m sorry. Can I have some time alone right now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, and stroked a hand through his hair. Like the witch liked to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, baby.” She got up and headed to the door, before turning around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just down the hall if you need anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Adam reassured her. She smiled briefly and left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you,” Adam muttered, looking around. “I thought you were in the bird?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I was in the bird, until I found a more suitable vessel. You.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Vessel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Just a physical body to contain my soul. I have been forced to live in animals for the past few decades, unable to recover myself. Now that I’m with you, I’m in much better shape.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Right. He’d said so last night, hadn’t he? But Adam had forgotten.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You are a powerful familiar</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the voice continued. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m very pleased that you allowed me in.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was trying to help a bird,” Adam muttered. “Not a dead witch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m not dead. Not yet.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what happens when you fully recover? You take over my ‘vessel’ completely?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, no. That wouldn’t work. I’ll simply rebuild my own body. A little prettier than it was, perhaps.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can do that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not right now. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He paused. </span>
  <em>
    <span>After a couple of sleeps, I think.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. And - and then you’ll stop murdering people?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh? Murdering people?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was you, wasn’t it? Randal today, and those other two?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Executing criminals isn’t murder. It’s justice. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The voice had grown ice-cold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Criminals? What did they do?” Adam was baffled.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They upset my familiar. I won’t allow it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>...Meaning Adam, surely. But he hadn’t even heard of the other two. How could they have upset him?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re wrong. The young man nearly walked into you and wrongly blamed you for it. And  the middle-aged woman nearly ran you over. You were upset both times. I could feel it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Wait, it was those people? “You can’t kill people for that,” Adam said, a heavy weight building in his stomach. “You can’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I have to protect my familiar.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m not your familiar, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh? </span>
  </em>
  <span>The voice went silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please stop killing people,” Adam said. The witch didn’t respond. “Everyone I ever come into contact with dying is gonna be a lot more upsetting than bumping into someone by accident, don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam sighed and got up when he was met with nothing but silence. He wondered what the hell he was gonna tell Mom. “There’s a psychopathic witch’s soul hanging out in my body, and it’s been killing people, and I don’t know how to get it out”?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door handle wouldn’t budge when he tried to open the door. He jiggled it for a bit, and checked that the lock hadn’t somehow activated when Mom left. It was unlocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Please don’t evict me, Adam. Upsetting you was not my intention</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you’ll stop killing random assholes then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A pause. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I will stop killing those who commit minor grievances</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the voice agreed, with clear reluctance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great. That’s all I wanted.” He sat down at his desk and put his head in his arms. This was exhausting.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Adam.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Will you be my familiar again? </span>
  </em>
  <span>The witch sounded uncertain, for the first time in Adam’s experience.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think I want to be some psycho’s familiar. Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I am not a psycho. I will take good care of you. You are a cute little fox, and I am a powerful witch. We are very compatible.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not cute.” Adam made a face. “Whatever. I’ll think about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you. May I continue to channel your passive energy to heal?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span> “Yeah, sure.” This was probably a mistake. Adam was letting the guy heal up so he could go out into the world and kill even more people, right? But it was unethical to refuse treatment to someone who needed it. And he did want to help this witch, for some reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>He dreamt of the witch again. They were in the same position they had left off, cuddling. Adam enjoyed it for the couple of minutes before he remembered what had happened during the day, and reluctantly withdrew from the embrace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” the witch asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m still mad at you,” Adam told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I see,” he said. He sounded more amused than worried. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam scooted over to another part of the void with his knees in his hands  and stared at the witch. “You never told me your name,” he realised all of a sudden.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Michael.” He was still lying down, not looking at Adam. Adam wondered if he’d hurt his feelings by moving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just Michael.” A grin crept up his face. “Possibly Michael Milligan, soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First you steal my body, then my name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s only fair. You stole my heart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam opened his mouth and closed it instead of responding. That was way too cheesy to acknowledge. He had <em>some </em>standards.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Rebirth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span> Michael watched his familiar working at his little desk with both interest and disdain. Adam should be playing in the woods at this time of day, not sitting in a dark room writing thousands of words about someone else’s words. Foxes are not indoor creatures. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, the tip-tapping of the keys underneath Adam’s fingers was producing some child-like amusement buried deep in Michael’s soul. It sounded almost like music. When he had a body to himself, perhaps he’d try dancing to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Adam, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he decided to say. Perhaps some coaxing was in order. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh,” said Adam, not even looking up. “I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You could shift, run around outside for a while before it gets dark. No need to refrain on my account. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Although it hadn’t escaped Michael’s attention that his familiar had </span>
  <em>
    <span>barely </span>
  </em>
  <span>shifted even in the period he had not been aware of Michael’s presence. And only under duress. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Or do you have difficulty shifting?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam had stopped typing and started rubbing his brow instead. “I don’t have difficulty shifting. Michael, I’m trying to write my essay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You have been writing for a long time. Are breaks forbidden?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam glanced at the tiny digital time inscribed on his screen. “I’ve only been doing this for a couple of hours. Look, I’ll take a break once I’ve finished this paragraph, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Very well</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Michael allowed, pleased. He tried to follow what Adam was writing on the screen, but English wasn’t his native language, and it hadn’t been commonplace in literature for most of his centuries. Having his soul nested next to Adam’s had helped him with speaking fluency, but reading it in letters was more difficult.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The computer simply amazed him. Apparently it was entirely technological, no spellwork required; Michael had never seen anything like it. Adam’s world was full of such wonders. Michael was starting to suspect he’d been trapped in the minds of animals for longer than a few decades. Apparently ‘cars’ had existed for over a century. Michael couldn’t wait to drive one. He had noticed Adam driving his well below its optimal speed; Michael would make sure to push it to its limit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam folded his computer in half all of a sudden and even more suddenly shifted. Michael was once more forced to experience the bone-liquefying, skin-tightening, world-falling-away sensation of the familiar reverting to his fox form. It was horribly unpleasant to him; of course, to the familiar himself it was an easy, comfortable experience. Utterly incomprehensible to Michael.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Did you finish your paragraph? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Michael asked. Perhaps he had misunderstood what a paragraph was.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>&lt;No</span>
  </em>
  <span>,&gt; was Adam’s short reply. He leapt out of the carefully Adam-shaped hole in his room’s wards and gracefully landed on the ground outside. Being a creature made of almost entirely magic meant that he was light as a feather and heights were meaningless to him. Unnerving to Michael; he was intending to rebuild his body with magic, and hoped it wouldn’t have the same effect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam entered the forest backing onto his family’s property and started running around as Michael had suggested. He was absolutely brimming with power in this form, blinding Michael with his existence. What a divine familiar. Michael would be at his full strength sooner rather than later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was content to see Adam begin to relax as he danced through the forest chasing butterflies, and disconnected from reality briefly to continue planning his revenge against the little brats that stabbed him in the back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d need to wait for Adam to be a little less gunshy first. It would be easiest with his familiar’s co-operation, after all. He’d separate Lucifer from the younger two first to catch him. Then he’d flay the skin off him, and bring the other two in to watch as he divided the rest of his “brother”’s body into pieces and send each piece off to various heads of state for them to do with as they please.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. Adam was heading back into the house already. That wasn’t very long. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What’s wrong? </span>
  </em>
  <span>he asked carefully. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You’ve only been outside for fifteen minutes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>&lt;My family’s gonna get worried if they find I’m out of the house while there’s some serial killer roaming about.&gt; </span>
  </em>
  <span>Michael doubted very much Adam’s family would worry. They hadn’t seemed to particularly notice his existence very much before now, sans his mother. But there was a worse issue to correct:</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I will protect you from anything</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he reminded him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It is my duty as your witch</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam rolled his eyes. He flew up through his window and scrambled onto his bed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>&lt;You’re the serial killer, moron. But thanks.</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>&gt;</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael was no ‘serial killer’. Simply one with the power to cleanse the trash from this world. But Adam would come to understand that sooner or later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When his familiar lay down to sleep that night, Michael had to resist following him into his dreams. It was time to build himself a body, and it would be easiest while Adam was asleep. The young and untrained familiar was easiest to channel while he was unconscious and free of inhibitions. Michael needed the strength.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael hadn’t actually built a whole body before, but had done plenty of healing - forming new flesh, rejoining broken bones, replacing whole limbs - the creation of body </span>
  <em>
    <span>parts, </span>
  </em>
  <span>essentially, which meant this was nothing more than a large healing project.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was simple enough to lay a death spell on someone while he was trapped within Adam’s skin. It didn’t involve much more than directing his malevolent will at them. For this level of magic, though, he would greatly prefer having a mouth to speak the words and hands to conduct the spell - but he would make do. If the body turned out malformed, he could fix it later or make a new one. No rush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to channel the magic he’d been building up into a steady stream of restorative energy that poured out into the corner of Adam’s room that he was firmly directing it to. The latent magic in the air - considerably more potent than normal, but this was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>familiar’s bedroom - </span>
  </em>
  <span>instantly responded and started feeding into the spell as well. He willed silent words that helped the spell take form and soon connective, epithelial, muscle and nervous tissues were gestating from the energy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he was certain he had control over the spell, he activated the bond with his familiar and began using it to amplify the energy coming out of his own heart. He wouldn’t use Adam’s magic directly, not unless he had to. Familiar magic was divine and wild. With Adam asleep, it would only be even more uncontrollable. But Michael could use its reactivity with his own power just fine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The new body was taking shape quite quickly now. Michael had been focusing on the lower parts first. Feet and legs were done. He wasn’t too sure about above the thighs though. He hadn’t used that area for anything other than strictly practical since he was a very young witch indeed. He just made a copy of Adam’s for now. That would do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thrumming of the magic became louder and louder in Michael’s head as he continued the spell. He was weakening now, becoming vulnerable. He channelled more of the fox’s magic into his soul and the soft light obediently wrapped around him, shielding him from burn and ache. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he said to the sleeping boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waist, chest, arms, neck, head. He would adjust the features later, when he was rested. He was incapable of detailwork at the moment. Long strands of hair from the head, to cover the body, at least. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned the heat down low on this spell, to let it finish with a gentle simmer. He needed it alive </span>
  <em>
    <span>as </span>
  </em>
  <span>he entered it, after all, or he would just have to evacuate again. In this condition, he may not even be able to make it out fast enough. It would be best, to have someone watching, but - he ever so gently nudged Adam’s soul, but he was in a deep sleep. Michael should be fine. Best not to bother him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled away from Adam’s soul in order to exit his body, but the magic Michael had channelled had brought it close, the familiar holding tightly onto his witch. Michael carefully unthreaded the fox’s magic and extricated himself from it, the exhaustion hitting him hard as he removed himself from Adam’s protection. He swam down his own stream of magic to the body, and the newly formed flesh easily took him in. He was paralysed at first, but he worked hard and fit himself to the nervous system, to the brain. The spell was still buzzing around him, keeping the body alive, until he had taken full control, and his own life force took over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat up. Breathed. Checked his pulse. Then with great caution silenced the spell. The body continued to function.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat in the corner to recharge. The body, of course, was fresh, ready to go. But his mind and soul were exhausted by the spell. He needed rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam typically didn’t rise until the sun had long since rose, and today was no exception. Michael didn’t mind, although it wasn’t a way he could live himself. As the morning sun began streaming through the blinds, Michael automatically pulled himself up from the corner. His hair swung against his naked skin, tickling him. ...That wouldn’t do. He fetched some clothes out of Adam’s dresser to correct the issue. They hung quite large on him. Michael was not entirely sure he had made the body to the correct proportions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat at Adam’s desk and borrowed one of his exercise books to start making notes. On things he had to research, and things he had to teach Adam, or at least make sure he had an appropriate understanding of. There was quite a lot of topics he had to investigate. For one thing, he was fairly certain at this point that he had somehow travelled to an entirely different continent while he was possessing animals. His coven had controlled a large chunk of Europe, but Adam’s family appeared to be in the Americas. Michael had previously remembered the Americas as being a colonised continent that was extremely unfriendly to witches, but that must have changed somewhat. He had reluctantly come to realise that the calendar used here was the Gregorian one, meaning, if it was indeed 2020, that he had been MIA for </span>
  <em>
    <span>over three centuries</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Drastic geopolitical change in that period was only to be expected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Adam began stirring, Michael noticed straight away. He removed the pages with his notes from the book and put them in his pocket before standing up and waiting quietly at the end of Adam’s bed. Adam’s eyes opened, he sat up, and then instantly scrambled against the head of the bed as soon as he saw Michael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you,” he said, drawing the blankets up against his body like a shield. Michael smiled patiently, about to explain - and then he felt Adam giving the slightest tug on their bond. A deliberate action, or was it instinctual? Adam hadn’t had a witch before, he’d said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You - wait. Michael?” he said slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, very good,” Michael said approvingly. “I’m sorry for startling you. That was hardly my intention.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You - uhh, you don’t look like you,” Adam said, confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will work on the finer details later,” Michael told him. “It took a great deal of effort to create a body that’s simply functional.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Adam settled back down in the bed. “Come cuddle then. You didn’t visit me last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael stayed where he was. “Adam, it’s past nine. Don’t you have to go to church soon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam laughed. “Church? Uhh, no. Since when do witches go to church?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was an odd thing to say. “You should go to church every Sunday, to pay your respects to the Lord,” Michael informed him. “Does your coven not hold their own service?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Umm. Well, we do a thing once a month. On Saturday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On the Sabbath,” Michael agreed. “But that is for worshiping the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dark </span>
  </em>
  <span>Lord. When do you worship the Good Lord?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t -” Adam was shaking his head on the pillow. “It’s just a meeting, I don’t think we worship anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael hadn’t realised he would need to put </span>
  <em>
    <span>basic respect to the higher beings that grant them their powers </span>
  </em>
  <span>on his list of things to teach Adam. He huffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we will do a service, today, by ourselves then.” He glanced outside. “It would be best to do fore noon. We can do it in here, or an outside service.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam pulled his blanket over his head. “That sounds super fun, but I think I’m gonna sleep in instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael came and sat beside his head. He gently pulled the blanket back down. “Please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t ‘please’ me,” Adam muttered, avoiding eye contact with Michael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you pay your respects to the Lords, they will watch over you and assure you a blessed life,” Michael told him. “I don’t want you to have any less.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was surprised that such an irreverent family could possibly give birth to a familiar as powerful as Adam. The Lords did not give out their divine power to just anyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam groaned. “Can I have breakfast first?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. That wouldn’t be appropriate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam groaned some more, but rolled out of bed. “Okay. Fine. You’re so bossy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael couldn’t help but arch an eyebrow at that. He certainly hadn’t been called </span>
  <em>
    <span>bossy </span>
  </em>
  <span>before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll do it here, then,” Adam decided. “Do I need to get changed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Michael said. Clothes were for the sake of other people. The Lord wouldn’t mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knelt at the foot of the bed and gestured for Adam to come join him. When Adam knelt beside him, he reached out to hold Michael’s hand. Michael hesitated, not wanting to reject his familiar; he grasped it briefly before releasing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We cannot hold hands during the service. We must hold them together in reverence. Like so:” He clasped his hands together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Adam said. “Like on TV.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Correct.” Michael presumed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael had been high priest of his coven a few times, most notably in the period preceding being stabbed in the back by his brothers, so leading a service came naturally to him. He wasn’t entirely sure what the correct English service would sound like, so he relied on the popular Latin one instead. Adam was fidgeting quite a bit through the hour-long service, and Michael had to prompt him on when to speak his parts, naturally, but he was sure the Lord would be pleased with his familiar. Michael could sense he was doing his part to be quite respectful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The service is concluded,” he said. “Thank you, Adam. This means a lot to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam smiled lopsidedly. “Yeah, I could tell. Uh, I can get up now, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam went to shower before getting dressed. Michael joined him. It was hard leaving his side while their bond was still open; Michael wished the familiar would hurry up and accept it. It didn’t seem at this point that Adam was seriously considering rejecting him. Michael reminded himself to be mindful that that sort of commitment must be scary to a young familiar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam hesitated before exiting his room. “Are you, um, coming with?” he said over his shoulder to Michael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, without question,” Michael said in alarm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Relief washed over Adam’s face, but he was still hesitant. “Just… uh… I’m not really sure how to explain this…” He waved a hand at Michael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no need to explain. We’ll just ignore them,” Michael said calmly. Adam’s family did the same to them, they should have no room to complain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that’s gonna work… um,” Adam pinched his brow. “It’s just, you do realise I’m gonna get in trouble if they find out a witch has been secretly living in my room for a week, right?” He glanced out the window. “What if you climb out the window then come to the front door? I can introduce you as my boyfriend to everyone. Then you can move in.” He seemed unsure on that last part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to move in to a Godless coven,” Michael said sternly. Adam sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll work something out. Please, I’m hungry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go down to breakfast,” Michael told him at last, rubbing his temple. “I’ll wait here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be right here. No need to worry.” He clutched Adam’s hand in his. They really needed to close this bond soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I - okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to meet your family looking like this,” Michael said, indicating his distorted appearance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Adam laughed a little. “You looked a little better in my dreams.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rushed off downstairs, and Michael surveyed his unmorphed face in the bathroom mirror. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> quite plain. No wonder his little fox thought he was ugly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That wouldn’t do.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Pet Farm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adam was a bit stuck. He was responsible for the cutthroat witch that had latched into him, wasn’t he? Michael wouldn’t have killed anyone if he hadn’t helped him out. So Adam </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> turn both himself and Michael in. Prevent further deaths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But… he also wanted to keep helping Michael. Not with murdering people, but. There was a flutter in his heart whenever Michael told him, “Thank you.” Maybe it was a stupid familiar thing, or something like that. But he just knew in his heart he couldn’t turn Michael in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he was stuck, trying to stop Michael getting loose without actually letting anyone know about him. Luckily, Michael was pretty clingy. He seemed unwilling to leave Adam’s side unless he absolutely had to. Well, he probably thought Adam felt the same way, since Adam was terrified of leaving him alone. He felt a little guilty at the thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Needless to say, it was very alarming when Michael informed him one day he was heading out into town. “What? Why? Stay here,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have some errands that need to be done in person,” Michael explained. He took Adam’s hand gently. “You can come with me, of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I can’t leave the house,” Adam said, distressed. “We’re still on lockdown.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you not told them you’ve subdued the culprit?” Michael asked with a twinkle in his eye. Adam scowled at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then, I shall have to depart on my own,” Michael said when Adam didn’t respond. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam leapt up. “No - I’ll come.” He needed to keep an eye on Michael. Who knew if he would ‘forget’ his promise to Adam the second he was out of sight. “Where are you going, anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The pawn shop, the post office, and the bank,” Michael said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Why? Wait, what are you pawning?” Struck with worry, Adam looked around the room, for anything missing that Michael might have stolen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael produced a heap of gold and silver jewellery from his robes. “My creations. As I will need cash to open my postal and banking accounts, I will have to sell them for a sub-optimal price to a reseller. After that, I can sell them direct to customers on my Online Shop.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam stared. “You made them? How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael cocked his head to the side. “With magic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t appreciate your tone,” Adam said, although inwardly he was berating himself for such a stupid question. This was the guy that made a </span>
  <em>
    <span>whole body </span>
  </em>
  <span>out of magic in a single night. “So they’re fake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael looked even more puzzled. “No. Touch them. Real metal, real rocks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam did. “They’re not gonna, like, vanish after a week?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be cruel to my customers,” Michael observed. “I would rather have customers that trust me, so they purchase more and I can establish an income. I can’t stay in your bedroom forever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Uh, wow. Never heard of anyone doing anything like this.” Adam scratched his head in sheepish wonder. “The witches in my coven all have, like, mortal jobs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure they do,” Michael said drily. “I, however, need a lot of money quickly. A mortal job really won’t do.” He deposited the jewellery back into his robes and neatened himself. “Are you ready to go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, I guess.” He grabbed a pair of sneakers and started putting them on. “You’re - you’re going out like that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael had taken to wearing ornate black vestments that were as beautiful as they were bizarre. With his long silver hair falling straight down his shoulders and back, he cut an eccentric, imposing figure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Adam had been raised properly and he knew that making fun of someone’s clothes was mean.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your face,” he said instead. “It’s absurdly handsome. Everyone will stare.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael touched his face with interest. “Naturally. I put a lot of time and effort into beautifying this.” That seemed like an understatement. Michael had disappeared into Adam’s bathroom for twelve hours yesterday. Whenever Adam had to go in to take a whizz, he found Michael with his face an inch from the mirror, making minute adjustments one at a time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As long as you’re fine with it,” he muttered, trying to avoid looking at the robes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can hold hands, so everyone knows I’m taken?” Michael suggested, smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Oh, no, that’s not - I don’t care about that,” Adam said sheepishly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael took his hand anyway. “Come,” he ordered, and started heading to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait-” Adam said. He glanced at the window. Michael might be a little too big to fit out of it now that he wasn’t a bird, but…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael followed his gaze. “What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um. You can’t go through the house. I’ll get in trouble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can always blame me, say I forced you to let me in,” Michael suggested. But then he shrugged. “Release the seal on the window. I’ll portal out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” He did so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Michael stepped closer to the window, bent to the floor and traced a ritual circle around himself, magic lighting up in the wake of his finger. He straightened, murmured a word and vanished. Adam’s chest seized for a second, but when he came to the window to reseal it he saw Michael standing at the ground directly below the window, waving up at him. Okay. Phew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was gonna be real hard keeping a leash on someone whose knowledge and abilities were clearly far greater than his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He foxed and travelled out through the hole in his wardings, directing his fall downward to land on Michael’s shoulder. Michael smiled at him. “Not telling your family you’re going out?” he wondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He should send Mom a text. But the thought of anyone in his family happening to glance out their window right now to see him hanging out with the most ominous looking witch in the county was horrible enough to take precedence. &lt;</span>
  <em>
    <span>Later,&gt; </span>
  </em>
  <span>he said, running off to his car and hoping Michael would follow. He did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam shifted back and hopped in the driver’s seat. After a pause, Michael got in the other side. “You can stay a fox,” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to drive,” Adam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can drive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you… know how to?” Adam was unable to hide the skepticism in his voice, but it seemed to go over Michael’s head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. I watched a video on the Internet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So no. “Okay, that’s a start. Uhh, we’ll find somewhere to practice another day, maybe?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam felt a weird trembling in his chest, like he was upset. But he wasn’t upset. He placed his hand over his heart, and glanced at Michael, who was staring ahead with a blank expression on his face. Adam knew it was coming from him, somehow. He was hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Driving is harder than it looks,” he said gently, starting up the car. “I’m sure you’ll be great at it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The trembling subsided slightly, but Michael’s expression remained the same. Adam sighed. That was the best he was going to get, huh?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went to the pawn shop first, where the owner was quite happy to scoop up the “heirlooms” Michael had brought in exchange for several thousand dollars. He seemed quite pleased with the deal, so Adam figured they must be worth quite a bit more. Of course, Michael was making 100% profit off them either way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long did it take you to make those?” Adam asked him after they were well away from the shop. He hadn’t noticed Michael goldsmithing at any point during the last three days he’d had his body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a few hours. I do it in the morning, before you wake up.” There was a hint of disapproval in his voice. Adam knew Michael disliked his sleeping patterns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next, they went to the bank. Adam hadn’t been quite sure why Michael needed to go to the bank in person, until they sat down with an advisor and Michael “convinced” her to let him open a credit card account. With magic. Adam had never seen anything so unethical in his life. Michael somehow produced a</span>
  <em>
    <span> birth certificate </span>
  </em>
  <span>to use as ID and she went away to photocopy it while he filled out the form.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you cast a spell on her?” he hissed. The strangest part was that he wasn’t even able to sense the magic like he normally would. But the way the woman had stopped mid-speech of politely explaining why someone with no credit history couldn’t have a credit card with their bank, gone blank, and then brightly agreed to “give Michael a chance” had been unmissable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do as I must,” Michael said. “It will be easiest if I have a line of credit in addition to a savings account.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think you should control people like that,” Adam argued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael didn’t look up at him. “I am already compromising my principles for your sake. This I will not budge on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a lack of principles, surely, but Adam recognised the veiled threat and remained silent. Mind control was better than murdering people. Probably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where did you get that birth certificate from?” he asked after a moment, feeling uncomfortable in the silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just copied yours. I’ve applied online for other documents as they need to have unique numbers attached to them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. You’re adjusting to this pretty quickly.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael smiled at him, and Adam felt warm. But Adam was still a little freaked out, so why - the </span>
  <em>
    <span>warmth </span>
  </em>
  <span>was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Michael’s</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Why was Adam feeling what Michael felt? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had a familiar before I even fully regained consciousness,” Michael said. “Adjusting quickly is my obligation.” He sounded proud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t ‘have a familiar’,” Adam muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” Michael raised an eyebrow, but Adam couldn’t sense anything off him this time. He really thought Adam was a done deal, huh?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went to the post office after that. Adam didn’t really understand why Michael had to open an account in person there either but apparently it involved him asking a lot of questions about packaging delicate items and pricing. Adam stood awkwardly in the corner on his phone, feeling out of place. Mom had sent a single text asking where he’d gone. He hesitantly typed a reply: “Out on a date” and hit send. Yes, it would cause some drama in the short term but it was better than bringing Michael home all of a sudden and being like, “Surprise boyfriend!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because introducing him was almost inevitable at this point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they settled back in the car, Adam did his best to ignore the furious vibrating in his pocket. “So - was that it for today?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I need to go to an electronics store to purchase a smart phone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. That’s a good idea,” Adam said, not meaning to sound surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All of my ideas are good ideas,” Michael said, turning his face to the window. Adam could see in his reflection he was trying to hold in a laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went to the mall, and Michael got his phone. They were heading down to the food court, upon Adam’s request, when Michael stopped and turned to look at the Pet Farm store.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A familiar shop? Here?” he wondered, staring at the paw print logo. “Pet… farm,” he slowly read out the name of the shop printed next to it. “That’s a little offensive, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhh, that’s not a familiar store,” Adam said. “It’s a pet store. Like it says.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure? It has the familiar symbol.” Michael pointed plainly at the logo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s the Pet Farm logo, dude. Familiars don’t have a trademark on generic paw prints.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm.” Michael was barely listening. “I’ll go in and ask, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ask what?” Michael headed in, and Adam rushed after him. “Michael, ask what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael surveyed </span>
  <em>
    <span>what was clearly a pet store </span>
  </em>
  <span>with a single disdainful sweep of the head before coming up to the counter and speaking to the poor cashier girl there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good afternoon. Do you have any items for familiars on sale?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For familiars? Uhhh.” She chewed her lip, looking from Vampire Lord Michael to Embarrassed Young Man Adam in bored bewilderment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I speak to the owner, please?” Michael said, when it was clear no further information was forthcoming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll get my manager,” she said, and high-tailed it out of there to the back of the store.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam tugged on Michael’s arm. “Michael, they don’t have whatever you’re looking for. It’s a chain pet store.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no harm in asking,” Michael said with eminent calm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cashier came back with an older woman in a neat blouse and trousers. “You were asking about familiars?” she said, eyeing Michael up and down not with the baffled amusement they had received from most passers-by, but instead with a nervous anticipation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Michael said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Follow me,” she said, and led them into the back, into a small office. She opened a big cabinet and dug around in its drawers for a moment before retrieving a box filled with what looked like random trinkets. “You know, I’ve been the store manager here for eight years, and you’re the first person who’s asked for this stuff. I thought it was a joke,” she told them, offering the box to Michael. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took it and looked through it with interest, pulling items out and examining them in detail. Adam, who was hanging onto Michael’s arm by this point, peeked into the box as well. It mostly seemed full of toys and jewellery. He pulled out a collar with distaste; upon examination, it had wards carved into the worn out leather. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want this?” Michael asked, plucking it out of his hands rather rudely to inspect it himself. “Collars can be good for emergencies, but this won’t be strong enough to contain you, I’m afraid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I don’t want it,” Adam said, cringing. “Do I look like a dog to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael laughed. “Well, you are a canid. But I do expect you to be self-disciplined enough to not need one.” He put the collar back in the box. “I’ll prepare one for emergencies later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam shot an embarrassed glance up at the manager, who looked like she was trying to hold in a laugh. She wasn’t a witch. She probably thought they were some weird fetishists or something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are the prices for these?” Michael asked, balancing an assortment of trinkets in his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, there’s a catalogue somewhere. Let me have a look,” the manager said, and perused the cabinet once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Why are you getting so much jewellery? You literally made a bunch in three days and sold it today,” Adam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The enchantments on these are a hassle to perform. Simpler to buy pre-enchanted,” Michael explained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huh. He grabbed some kind of glass ball with beads in out of Michael’s arms. “What’s this? A snow globe?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Thank you,” Michael said to the manager as she brought him a notebook opened to a page with a handwritten list of prices. He tapped an item on the list. “It’s a thaumometer. Shake it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam shook it. The beads predictably danced in the glass ball.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now hold it up to your ear,” Michael continued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam, almost certain he was being pranked, followed the instruction with a dubious look on his face. To his surprise a loud, beautiful note began pouring from it as it touched his ear, with fainter sounds echoing in the background.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There won’t be much to sense at the moment,” Michael said, examining Adam’s face with interest. “Most likely just our passive magic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It senses magic?” Adam said, trying to listen closer. “I can only hear one thing. Shouldn’t there be two?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm.” Michael reached out for it and Adam handed it to him. He shook it again and listened to it himself. “There are two.” He gave it back to Adam to try again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our souls are harmonic,” he added as Adam gave listening to the thaumometer his best shot. “Don’t worry if you can’t tell them apart just yet. I know you were having trouble sensing my spells last week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That </span>
  </em>
  <span>pissed Adam off pretty quickly. “Of course I can tell us apart. It’d be easier if you shut up for once.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael raised an eyebrow but obediently fell silent and went back to checking the price list. Adam shook the ball furiously and tried to listen again. Harmonic, huh? It’s a chord, he realised. One lower hum, one higher one. But they melded so well together, it was hard to pick out each one individually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can hear both of them,” he told Michael triumphantly. “So there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great job,” Michael said absentmindedly. “I’ll purchase these sixteen items,” he said to the manager. “According to your catalogue, they should add up to $64.32.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam leaned over and looked at the flowery handwriting. Yeah, those prices definitely hadn’t been adjusted for inflation in the last century or so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure thing,” she said. “We’ll have to add on sales tax at the register though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tax,” said Michael. “Yes, I understand.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam wondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went and got sushi. Even Michael decided to have some. It was the first food Adam had seen him eat. “I didn’t think you liked food,” he said teasingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t,” Michael said. “But I am curious about the flavour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you do you.” Adam shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael stopped them again, this time at a hunting store. “They sell hunting supplies here?” he asked as his eyes scanned over the store name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. You’re into hunting? That’s a surprise,” Adam said. Maybe Michael would fit in with his family more than he thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only snakes,” Michael said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Uhh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael peered at the hunting rifles. “It might be amusing to shoot him with one of those. Pay him back for the dagger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who?” Adam said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The snake,” said Michael, withdrawing from the shop window. “We won’t discuss it here. Let’s go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Back in the car, Adam was relieved. He had survived an entire trip to the mall without Michael randomly killing anyone. As far as he knew, at least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we done for today? Ready to go home?” he asked, starting the car up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” said Michael. “There’s somewhere else I need to go. The address was…” He pulled out his scraps of notepaper and read it out loud to Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, sure,” Adam said, shrugging. “That’s a little ways out of town.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a few minutes before he realised what could possibly be out there. “Wait, you’re going to the motel? Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I researched cheap lodgings and it seemed like the closest one to you,” Michael said. He was focused on setting up his new smartphone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But,” Adam said. He felt a little hurt. “Aren’t you coming back home with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael smiled to himself. “Unfortunately, hiding in my familiar’s bedroom in his parents’ house is not a lifestyle I wish to continue in perpetuity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But,” Adam said again. He didn’t know why he felt so aghast. What Michael said made sense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logically, he could reason it out as him not being able to keep an eye on him anymore. But that didn’t fully explain it. Adam was </span>
  <em>
    <span>sad</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will visit you every day,” Michael promised him. “Until you accept our bond.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And then?” Adam asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I should </span>
  <em>
    <span>hope </span>
  </em>
  <span>my own familiar would come and live with me,” Michael drawled. He shot Adam a smile. “I can’t promise I’ll be out of the motel any time soon. One house is a lot of necklaces.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam laughed, but his stomach felt like it was filled with lead. “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam came in with him to the motel as he booked his room, and followed him there as well. He sat on the bed as Michael began drawing wards up on the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, uhh. What were you talking about, the snake? Is that a familiar or-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My brother,” Michael said, jaw clenched. “He stabbed me in the back. I’m going to kill him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Oh no. “You promised you wouldn’t kill anyone,” Adam reminded him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For minor grievances. Little fox, do you think </span>
  <em>
    <span>murdering me</span>
  </em>
  <span> is a minor grievance?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. He <em>literally</em> stabbed Michael in the back, Adam realised somewhat too late.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess not,” he muttered. “Why did he murder you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael frowned. “I don’t know. He didn’t mention any problems prior to the stabbing. I did hear rumours he was unhappy with our circumstances, but when I asked him directly he would always say all was well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What circumstances?” That was an odd turn of phrase.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael sighed and came to sit on the bed with Adam, to speak with him face-to-face. “Our father was High Priest of our coven,” he explained. “He would frequently leave to go on vacations and journeys of self-discovery. Leaving me in charge, as his eldest son.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Lucifer was Father’s familiar. I suppose he thought that meant he should be taking over when Father was absent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, what?” Adam interrupted, perturbed. “Your dad was using his own son as his familiar?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Yes?” Michael said, puzzled at the interjection.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But isn’t that - I mean, don’t witches and familiars usually-” He hesitated, recalling that Michael in one of their first meetings said </span>
  <em>
    <span>he has not been romantic with a familiar before</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He had thought that just meant Michael hadn’t had a bonded familiar, but maybe this was some cultural thing where witches in Michael’s coven didn’t fuck their familiars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Familiars support witches in their magical activities,” Michael said slowly. “I am unsure why you think a son would be unable to assist his father in that way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um. Yeah. It’s just. All the witches with familiars I know are dating them.” Claire and Alex, Dean and Cas. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Michael said, realisation dawning. “No, there was no incest involved.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam winced. Good, but what a plaintive way of stating it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, I suppose as the high priest’s familiar, Lucifer thought he should outrank me and was dissatisfied that Father would have someone else run the coven while he was out.” Michael shrugged. “The last time Father went away, he and my other brothers got me alone and the snake stabbed me in the back. For reasons never stated to me directly. So now I’m going to kill him. Okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Adam said. He couldn’t think of a reason </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>Michael shouldn’t get revenge, after all. The story as told seemed pretty cruel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael ruffled his hair. “You should get home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you so eager to get rid of me all of a sudden?” Adam asked. It hadn’t escaped his attention that Michael had changed from adorably clingy to far too cool for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael looked away. “It’s difficult being this close, while you reject me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I first offered my bond to you while you were not fully cognisant of it, and you half-accepted it. I have been waiting since then for you to accept it fully. You spoke as if you would. But here we are, a week later, and I am still left hanging. Every second I spend with you while you leave me exposed like this is… difficult.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Painful?” Adam asked. Michael shook his head, but Adam </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>he was lying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have been endlessly kind to me. In turn, I decided not to force a bond upon you. But…” Michael clutched his heart. “I am not strong enough to handle constant rejection. So it is best we maintain a little distance until you are ready to properly accept or reject me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m hurting you,” Adam whispered in horror.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael shook his head again. “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you lying?” Adam hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did this to myself,” Michael said. “I initiated this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You weren’t even fully conscious though, were you?” Adam pointed out. “You still had a bird-brain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael was silent. Adam could see tears forming at the corners of his eyes. He wiped away his own. This was stupid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is stupid,” he said out loud. “We both know there’s no way I’m rejecting you for real, right? I’ve known you for eight days and I already can’t bear the thought of going home without you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael wouldn’t look at him. Adam felt awful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do I accept it? Do I just say so, or-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you are doing this out of pity, I advise you to say loud and clear, ‘I reject your bond’,” Michael advised lowly. “You wouldn’t marry someone just because you felt bad for them, would you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But that’s not - I want you to be my witch. I accept the bond, or whatever,” Adam said desperately. “Please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want me to be your witch?” A tinge of hope in his voice, but Adam might have been imagining it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, of course. I thought you knew that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence. And then: “I do know that.” Michael sounded amused. “Go home, Adam. I’ll visit you for breakfast tomorrow morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forgive me for taking the opportunity to be melodramatic. You have all the time in the world to make your decision, I promise. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you were crying too,” Adam said, starting to get angry now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m a psychopath, Adam, as you like to tell me. I can turn it on and off as I please. Now go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No you can’t,” Adam muttered, but he wasn’t going to waste his time on this bullshit. He made sure to slam the door on his way out.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Field Trip</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tw: homophobia (brief)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Michael purchased an arrangement of flowers from a florist before he went over to Adam’s house the next morning. He had no eye for this sort of thing, but when he explained that it was for an apology the florist set about making the bouquet with no further questions.</p><p>Michael knocked on the front door of Adam’s family home, bouquet in hand. Wanting to make a good first impression on his familiar’s loved ones, he had dressed up in gilded robes over a three piece suit. The man who answered the door had on a red plaid shirt and dirty jeans. Michael tried not to look too disdainful.</p><p>“Hello, I’m here to see Adam,” he said politely.</p><p>“We’re not letting visitors in right now,” the man said gruffly. It was one of Adam’s cousins. Dan or something. Michael remembered when he had first sensed Adam and flown to this house, it was Dan’s window he had first tried to enter. Dan had rapped on the window until he had flown away. Michael didn’t expect any courtesy from him now, either.</p><p>“That as may be, Adam is expecting me. Kindly let him know I’ve arrived,” Michael instructed him, trying not to seethe. Adam would probably be unhappy if Michael laid a curse on his cousin.</p><p>Dan gave him a suspicious once over before closing the door on him. Michael waited patiently, a little nervous. He had been unintentionally cruel to Adam yesterday. He hoped the little fox would forgive him.</p><p>The door reopened and Adam was standing in the entrance, dressed in his pyjamas and eyes red and wet. “Michael?” he croaked.</p><p>Oh dear. This was much worse than Michael had expected. “Here,” he said, handing Adam the bouquet. Adam took it in a dazed manner as Michael retrieved the handkerchief from his suit pocket and dabbed at his familiar’s face. After a few dabs, Adam seemed to come to his senses and pushed Michael’s hand away.</p><p>“Stop, stop, what are you doing?”</p><p>“You have been crying,” Michael said. “I am trying to help.”</p><p>“I haven’t been crying,” Adam said. Despite all evidence to the contrary. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>“I agreed to come visit you for breakfast,” Michael reminded him.</p><p>“Well, you can fuck off. I’m not eating breakfast with someone who lies to my face like that.”  “Lying wasn’t my intention. I thought you would know I wasn’t being serious. I’m hardly the sentimental type.”</p><p>“Except you <em> are </em> the sentimental type, and you <em> were </em>being serious. Are you seriously gonna keep lying about it?”</p><p>Michael stared. Adam appeared to be convinced that <em> Michael </em> had been <em> genuinely </em>upset. It was difficult not to laugh, but Michael focused on his familiar’s red eyes and that forced him into contriteness.</p><p>“Adam, I was being silly yesterday. I apologise.” Michael indicated his apology bouquet, which Adam looked at with incomprehension. “Now please. Do let me in or don’t. There’s no sense in standing in your doorway like this.”</p><p>“Okay,” Adam said.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>Adam shut the door in his face with perhaps a little more force than strictly necessary. Michael was evidently no longer welcome for breakfast. Disappointing, but he supposed he deserved it. Adam was a very sensitive familiar. He should have known to be more careful with him.</p><p>Michael returned to his motel room. With Adam unavailable, he should focus on his second highest priority, finding and exterminating Lucifer. He decided to contact his second youngest brother, Raphael. Raphael <em> had </em>been present at the betrayal, but Michael felt he was most likely of his coven to lend him assistance regardless. </p><p>Raphael was kin, so a blood spell would suffice. Michael didn’t have any personal objects to direct the spell, for obvious reasons, so he used words and symbols and ingredients with the personality of his brother in order to direct it to Raphael.</p><p>He cut a gash in his arm as the final step and allowed blood to spill out into the bowl in the middle of the magic circle. He squeezed his eyes shut at the pain, and waited for the feeling of his magic catching on, the click, the spell making contact.</p><p>Nothing happened.</p><p>Frustrated, Michael loosed more blood from the wound to strengthen the spell. Likely there was a considerable distance between them, as Raphael would be on another continent. He just needed a stronger spell. Yes.</p><p>The spell still failed to connect.</p><p>Michael <em> did not </em>fail to cast spells. This would not be the day of his undoing. He cut into his other arm, and poured even more blood into the bowl, and channeled pure magic from his soul into it as well.</p><p>“<em> Blood of my blood of my blood of my blood of my blood, </em> ” he chanted, “ <em> of my blood of my blood of my blood of my- </em>”</p><p>The spell connected. Finally.</p><p> A voice came out through the bowl, heavily distorted. “Who is this?”</p><p>“Raphael?” Michael said, kneeling down to speak into the bowl, his lips almost touching the blood.</p><p>“No. Who is this?” The voice was becoming less distorted. Michael could almost recognise it, but it wasn’t Raphael.</p><p>“Hello?” it said, a nasally voice coming in clearly this time.</p><p>Father. </p><p>Seized with panic, Michael flipped over the bowl immediately, cutting off the spell and spilling his blood everywhere. He staggered back, fear gripping his heart.</p><p><em> Father </em> ? <em> Why- </em></p><p>As he crashed into the heavily warded door behind him, he faintly heard knocking from the other side. “Michael?” Adam’s voice called out. “Are you okay?”</p><p>Michael inspected his heavily bleeding wounds on both arms. He may have been delirious from blood loss. Adam had been mad at him just an hour ago, hadn’t he? He took a step back and opened the door just a crack. Adam and Miss Milligan were standing just outside, both looking terribly worried.</p><p>“Adam? What are you doing here?”</p><p>Adam scratched the back of his head. “Uh, Mom wanted to meet you.”</p><p>Michael wasn’t sure if that made sense or not. He was feeling woozy. “Very well. Please come on in. Don’t mind the mess.”</p><p>When the Milligan’s entered, they let out some horrified gasps. “Michael - <em> what,” </em>Adam said, recoiling. Miss Milligan, instead, rushed over to Michael, inspecting his arms.</p><p>“May I?” she said, and Michael had barely nodded before healing magic was wrapping around his arms, closing up the huge cuts and restoring blood back into his body.</p><p>“Did you get attacked?” Adam said, bewildered, as he looked around the now blood-covered motel room.</p><p>“No. All is well,” Michael said calmly.</p><p>“You were casting a blood spell? Why were you doing it so recklessly?” Adam’s mother asked him. She stepped over to the magic circle, a curious glint in her eye.</p><p>“I was attempting to contact my brother. I miscalculated, so I added more blood to attempt to compensate,” Michael explained. At least, he hoped that was why he had only been able to reach his Father. With the symbols he had drawn up, he should have at least reached his other two brothers before getting to Father. Unless all three of them were…</p><p>Adam braved the bloodstained room to come up to Michael and hold his freshly healed arm. “Dude, what the hell? Don’t do this,” Adam said. He was even angrier now, for some reason.</p><p>“I have to locate the snake,” Michael said. “I will do whatever necessary to accomplish that goal.”</p><p>“That’s stupid. I’m sure there’s better ways to find people than draining your body of all its blood.”</p><p>That was certainly true. However this had been the most obvious path.</p><p>Michael noticed with horror that Miss Milligan had started clearing blood off the floor. <em> His guest </em> was cleaning <em> his room </em>. </p><p>“Please allow me to do that, Miss Milligan,” he called out. He spread his arms out, Adam still holding onto one of them, and pushed his magic out into the room, erasing the blood off the floor and walls and collecting the turned over bowl and the scattered ingredients and placing them nearly on the chest of drawers.</p><p>“Impressive,” she said, standing up. “So you traded your brain cells for raw power, did you? It’s Kate, by the way.” She offered him her hand.</p><p>“I am Michael,” he said, accepting the hand in both of his and giving it a polite kiss. She shot a look at Adam over his shoulder. “I assure the both of you I was in no real danger from the spellcasting. You caught me at an unfortunate moment, that’s all.”</p><p>“Uh huh,” she said dryly. “You sure about this one?” This was directed at Adam, not Michael.</p><p>“Yeah,” he said, gripping Michael’s arm a bit harder. Michael smiled at his little fox. This was a welcome change in attitude. </p><p>“How about we go out for lunch? This motel isn’t ideal for entertaining, I’m afraid.”</p><p>“No, we’re going home now,” Adam said. </p><p>“With my arm?” Michael wondered. Adam was gripping on to it so hard he was sure it would rip off if he tried to move away. “I’m confused. I thought your mother wanted to meet me?”</p><p>“Yeah, and she has met you, and now we can go,” Adam said. Without letting go.</p><p>Kate studied the two of them. “Adam suddenly thought you were dying and insisted on running over here. You should be thanking him.”</p><p>“<em> Mom </em>,” said Adam.</p><p>“Thank you, Adam,” Michael said obligingly. </p><p>“Apparently you have a half-formed bond?” she added, her smile razor-sharp. “It seems to be working pretty well for half formed.”</p><p>“So to speak,” Michael said. Half formed. Adam would still be able to reject it at this point, he thought. It wasn’t entirely untrue.</p><p>“How can be a bond be half formed?” she pressed. “Maybe I’m not educated enough on the subject, but I haven’t heard of such a thing.”</p><p>“This should be a discussion between myself and Adam,” Michael said. “I do apologise.”</p><p>That lost him points with the judge, but he considered it very inappropriate to speak with a third party about his familiar’s bond.  </p><p>“Fine. Honey, let’s go back to the house,” she said to Adam. He nodded and continued to hang on to Michael’s arm.</p><p>“Do you want to go home or stay here?” Michael asked him.</p><p>Adam scrunched his face up in physical pain as he thought. “Go home,” he said. </p><p>So stubborn. It wasn’t good for him. He would regret all this resisting after he had accepted the bond. Michael attempted to peel him off his arm, but it was difficult. Adam’s nails became claws, digging into his flesh.</p><p>“Adam?” Michael said, stroking his hair. “Why aren’t you letting go?”</p><p>He knew why. This would be much more enjoyable if the mother wasn’t standing opposite them with a suspicious frown levelled at Michael.</p><p>“Sorry,” Adam said in a sort of gasp, and finally launched off of Michael. “Don’t - don’t half kill yourself again. How many times do I gotta save you?”</p><p>Michael really hadn’t been in serious danger, but this wasn’t an ideal time to argue technicalities. “I understand. I’m sorry for troubling you.”</p><p>Adam managed to tug himself out of the room, and Kate went to follow, although she stopped in the doorway to look back at him. “There were a series of murders last week that were done by a witch. Do you know anything about that?”</p><p>“Oh yes,” Michael said. “I know <em> all </em>about that.”</p><p>She grimaced and left. </p><p>Michael dearly wished Adam had let him in for breakfast earlier. What a terrible first impression he had ended up making.</p><p>He took the cleaned spell-bowl in his hands and frowned down at it. Contacting his brother seemed off the table. On the other hand, he obviously <em> could </em> contact Father, but…</p><p>He’d rather not bother him. Yes.</p><p>He glanced down at his pages of handwritten notes and thoughts scattered across the desk. They were all he had here. His millennia-old collection of tomes, journals, artefacts and ingredients were all stored in mansions spread across Europe and the Middle East. Well, if they hadn’t been stolen in the past three centuries, which would be a ridiculous assumption to make. No doubt his family had looted his private belongings no longer than five seconds after his death.</p><p>There may be something worth retrieving left, though. Michael may as well go investigate his old homes. Unless the entire coven had moved their territory completely, he could probably find the snake in one of them as well.</p><p>He decided to make some weapons before going anywhere. Death spells were easy to stick onto mortals; much less effective on witches with the agency to remove them. Physical and cursed weapons would be ideal to use against his own coven. Michael also couldn’t cross the ocean without Adam: the familiar was far too sensitive to their bond to withstand Michael suddenly teleporting halfway across the planet. Michael had no desire to emotionally torture his own familiar.</p><p>He would prefer to make the weapons properly, with hammer and anvil. He tried to look up where the local blacksmith lived on Google, and jotted down several addresses. He couldn’t find one that seemed to be in this town, only ones in the nearby city.</p><p>He should have asked Adam about it while he was here. No matter. </p><p>He scooped up his notes and bound them together with a piece of string, shoving them and his other items into his robes. Kate had hardly been subtle about snooping around while she was in here. It would be best to keep such things on his person for now, until he had found more secure lodgings.</p><p>Michael went into the city, taking a bus, which was an amusing experience. People filed on and off at every stop, all doing their best to avoid making eye contact with absolutely anybody else. When he had researched buses, he had thought they would be a social form of transit. Evidently not.</p><p>He was in the second blacksmith’s shop, examining the knives displayed on the wall with great interest, when a familiar pair of familiar’s arms wrapped around him.</p><p>“Adam,” Michael said with genuine warmth.</p><p>“Hey,” Adam breathed into his ear. It tickled, but Michael wasn’t one to shy away.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” he asked, gently placing his hands on Adam’s to encourage him to loosen his grip as he turned around. “Is something wrong?”</p><p>“I missed you,” Adam muttered. “Didn’t you miss me?”</p><p>“I saw you two hours ago,” Michael pointed out.</p><p>Adam stubbornly tightened the hug.</p><p>“Very well,” Michael acquiesced. “I missed you.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know you did.”</p><p>Michael laughed, and Adam kicked him.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” he asked, looking around the blacksmith’s shop.</p><p>“Looking for a forge to make some weapons,” Michael said. “Is there a smithy local to your town?”</p><p>“Uhh,” Adam said. “I think Uncle Bobby has a forge.”</p><p>“He’s a member of your coven? Would he allow a non-member to use it?”</p><p>Adam frowned. “Um, maybe. What do you need weapons for?”</p><p>“Self-defence against witches.”</p><p>“You don’t - my family’s not going to attack you. Mom said it’d be okay. You don’t need a defence.”</p><p>Michael tilted his head. “What would be okay?”</p><p>“That you were killing people in their territory. Mom said she’d explain it so it’d be fine.”</p><p>Adorable. Michael had seen enough of Adam’s coven to know he could kill any one of them without much trouble. But Michael refrained from saying this to his concerned familiar.</p><p> “I see. Well, I may be safe from your coven, but I intended to go retrieve some personal items from my old one. They may not be thrilled to see a dead witch returned from the grave. I intend to be stealthy, but I really will need weapons just in case.”</p><p>“Oh,” Adam said.</p><p>“Will you come with me?” Michael searched his face thoughtfully. </p><p>“I - yeah. When are we going?”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>They left that afternoon, Michael astutely realising that due to timezones, it would be night on the other continent. He decided to hold back on crafting a proper weapon, as Adam seemed a little hesitant to introduce him to his coven yet, and Michael would rather use a witch’s forge. Instead he purchased some premade knives from the blacksmith and laid some simple curses on them.</p><p>With a little fox stuffed in the front of his robes, he drew a portal at a secluded spot out in the woods and directed it near one of their old French country mansions.</p><p>When he walked to where the mansion should be, however, it was gone. Just rubble and ruins remained in the enormous clearing. </p><p>“Hmm,” said Michael. This wasn’t good.</p><p>&lt;<em>Do we have the wrong spot?&gt; </em>Adam asked, poking his head out as Michael walked around the clearing.</p><p>“Certainly not,” Michael said. “A lot can happen in three hundred years. It’s not too surprising for the coven to have lost a few buildings.”</p><p>Adam was nervous. He stroked him soothingly, before setting up a new portal and heading to a new destination. This time, the estate was where it was supposed to be. Michael relaxed tensed muscles and wrapped an invisibility spell around himself and Adam. </p><p>“Be silent,” he whispered into the fox’s ear. Adam clung onto him in response.</p><p>There was no one around the outside of the house, and Michael couldn’t see any lights on inside either. That was enough to make him wary. He came around to the back door, constantly casting spells to detect any traps and finding nothing, before coming inside the building.</p><p>Silent and empty.</p><p>“Can you sense anyone?” he murmured to Adam, well aware that a familiar’s senses were naturally much stronger than his own. Adam shook his head after a beat. </p><p>Michael proceeded through the empty building, cautiously looking into rooms after checking the doors. Everything was in good condition, despite being layered in a thick coating of dust: not even magic could save people from dusting.</p><p>He went up to the top floor of the house, heading to where the High Priest’s office was situated. His office, at the time of his near-death.</p><p>“Hmm,” he said again.</p><p>&lt;<em>What’s wrong?&gt; </em>Adam asked curiously.</p><p>“There’s a seal on it.” He indicated the doors. “You can’t see it?”</p><p>&lt;<em>Of course I can</em>,&gt; Adam scoffed, and Michael kissed his head in apology. &lt;<em>You can’t undo it?</em>&gt;</p><p>“I can, but…” Michael traced the runes on the door. He didn’t do this. Nor did Lucifer. “It’s Father’s magic.” He rubbed his brow wearily. So Father had been here at some point after Michael’s death. He wondered if the estate had still been occupied at the time.</p><p>&lt;<em>You’re scared of him,&gt; </em>Adam surmised.</p><p>“Yes,” Michael admitted. “He is a powerful witch, and I was never his favourite child.”</p><p>Adam nipped at him. &lt;<em>You’re my favourite child.</em>&gt;</p><p>Michael chuckled. Now there was a frightful thought. </p><p>He felt the seal carefully. He could dispel it, yes, but he didn’t know <em> why </em>Father had sealed the office like this. What if there was a great evil lurking within?</p><p>&lt;<em>I think it’s safe,&gt; </em> Adam said helpfully. &lt;<em>I can’t sense anything.&gt; </em></p><p>Michael pulled the little fox out of his robes and frowned at him. “Reading my thoughts already, Adam? And yet I am still locked out from yours.”</p><p>Adam wiggled in his grasp. &lt;<em>I can’t read your thoughts. You’re just sending out cautious vibes.</em>&gt;</p><p>“That’s reading my thoughts,” Michael explained.</p><p>&lt;<em>Oh.&gt; </em></p><p>He placed Adam on his shoulder and bent down to undo the seal. “Let me know if you <em> do </em>sense something,” he requested politely before getting to work.</p><p>Once unsealed, the doors creaked open to reveal… nothing. Another empty room. The furniture in here was covered with a thinner layer of dust, at least per Michael’s estimations. He walked around to the other side of the large desk in the middle, and checked the drawers. Some papers he didn’t recognise were in the top one, and the second one was locked.</p><p>“You’re not gonna read them?” Adam asked. Michael glanced over his shoulder to see the boy trying to peer past him at the desk. “They’re not mine. And they’re probably not important.”</p><p>He tried a spell to open the second drawer, and luckily it opened. Pens and such, and some currency, pictures, and a small diary.</p><p>Adam immediately grabbed the pictures. “What are these?” </p><p>Michael glanced at them. “Portraits of coven members. No one I was close with.”</p><p>“Aww,” Adam said, disappointed. Michael picked up the money curiously. </p><p>“I suppose we can use this,” he said, counting the notes. “Did you want a present?”</p><p>“Uhh, those are francs, right? I don’t think you can use those anymore.”</p><p>Last was the diary. One of Michael’s. He flipped it open, but no one else had written anything else in it. Still, perhaps useful to keep. </p><p>“Do you want this?” he said, offering it to Adam. “One of my old diaries.” </p><p>Adam took it with undue excitement and started looking through it. “Dude, I can’t read this,” he complained almost immediately.</p><p>“‘Dude’, you can’t read Arcana? You’ll have to learn,” Michael said, arching an eyebrow as he collected the pens and inks neatly placed at the bottom of the drawer.</p><p>“Man…”</p><p>The bookshelves and cabinets offered more promise. Some of the books were useless, empty filler drivel written by mortal authors, but the majority of shelves were lined with magical tomes and other books written by witches. As Michael started taking the good ones off the shelves, he quickly realised the difficulty of carrying all these books back to his motel.</p><p>“Are we still safe?” he checked with Adam, who was still reading the diary he couldn’t read.</p><p>“Huh? Oh, yeah…”</p><p>“Can you keep watch?” Michael asked patiently. Opening a pocket dimension would take a few minutes of his complete attention. </p><p>“Sure, yeah.” Adam shifted back and hopped up on the desk, looking alertly through the open doorway. Michael sighed and shut it before beginning his spellwork.</p><p>He had to create a rather large pocket within his robes to attach the dimension to, if he was going to insert books into it. Adam could crawl into it for safety as well, if need be, he supposed. The pocket made, he weaved magical runes into its lining and attached a new dimension to its bottom, creating a much larger space for storage. </p><p>He went along the shelves, easily sliding the books off and into his big new pocket. Adam stared after him. &lt;<em>You’re carrying all those? Really? </em>&gt;</p><p>Michael smiled to himself. “No, of course not. I’ve just made a pocket dimension to store them.”</p><p><em> &lt;You can make those?&gt; </em>Adam sounded impressed. His expectations of Michael must have been very low.</p><p>“Of course,” Michael replied. “Did you think they occurred naturally?”</p><p>He could almost sense Adam pouting behind his back. </p><p>He turned to the cabinet. These, too, were locked <em> and </em>sealed; Michael knew both he and Father stored magical artifacts here. By the grace of God, they wouldn’t be stolen.</p><p>He worked them open, and studied the interior. Most of the objects he remembered were still stored here. Some powerful ones, too, he thought, taking the golden scales of justice and tipping them in his hands.</p><p>He ended up putting all of them in his pocket. No sense in leaving the place half-robbed. If the coven was going to come after him, he doubted they would kill him any less just for leaving a crystal ball or two behind.</p><p>&lt;<em>Are we going now?&gt; </em>Adam said hopefully as Michael stood back up. He turned to the fox in surprise and picked him up.</p><p>“Can you sense someone?” he asked urgently.</p><p>&lt;<em>No. Well… this place is kind of creepy,&gt; </em>Adam admitted sheepishly.</p><p>Michael’s heart swelled with pride. His familiar was being so brave. Michael should have been more considerate.</p><p>“We’ll go home soon,” he promised. “I’ll just check my room first.”</p><p>&lt;<em>This isn’t your room?&gt; </em></p><p>“This is the High Priest’s office. So sometimes yes. But all head family members have a dedicated bedroom in every large coven house. Which means I have one here, too.”</p><p>&lt;<em>Head family? </em>&gt;</p><p>“As in my immediate family. We run the coven.”</p><p>&lt;<em>The </em> royal <em> family.&gt;  </em></p><p><em> “ </em>No need to be derisive, dearest.” He headed down the hall to his quarters. No seal on the door, but when he entered, he was slightly perturbed. Footprints in the dust. He delicately slipped Adam inside his robe once more.</p><p>&lt;<em>Hey</em>,&gt; Adam complained, licking at him to try and get a response. Michael ignored him and silently moved into the room, moving his eyes and head around to inspect every corner. He went to his wardrobe and opened it up. “Out of order,” he sighed, moving his hands through the shirts and robes hanging up. “Someone’s definitely been through these.”</p><p>He compulsively reordered them. Robes should be in order of length, <em> then </em>colour. The spellwork on the wardrobe had prevented any bug damage, so he supposed he could take these as well, but they were awfully old-fashioned.</p><p>“Do you want any of these, Adam?” he whispered to the fox.</p><p>His laughter tinkled prettily in Michael’s ears. &lt;<em>I’m good. Thanks.&gt; </em></p><p>The bed had been stripped of manchester, and his drawers and cupboards had been completely emptied. How strange. He wouldn’t have thought he’d really have anything of value in here.</p><p>“There’s nothing here. Let’s go.” Relief emanated off of the fox buried in his clothes.</p><p>As Michael exited the building, it occurred to him there was one more thing he should probably check. He headed through the grounds to the chapel a ways away from the main building, and went inside. </p><p>&lt;<em>What are we doing?&gt; </em>Adam said, sounding exasperated.</p><p>The altar, predictably, was unlit. Michael approached it with reverence and bent down to relight the flames.</p><p>“This is a chapel where both the Good and Dark lord may be worshipped,” he educated Adam. “Their flames should be lit at all times. The Good Lord’s flame burns bright,” he lit the candle, “The Dark Lord’s flame is just as hot, but invisible to our eyes.” He lit the second candle.</p><p>&lt;<em>Does it matter? If no one lives here?&gt; </em></p><p>“Yes,” Michael replied simply.</p><p>He kneeled at the altar for a few minutes, praying to the Lords for protection and mercy. </p><p>&lt;<em>Michael</em>,&gt; Adam said sharply.</p><p>“Hmm?” He looked down at the fox, who had been sitting in his lap.</p><p>&lt;<em>I think there’s someone nearby.&gt; </em></p><p>He rose immediately. “Thank you,” he murmured, and Adam crawled into his robes once more without prompting. </p><p>Michael couldn’t detect anyone, even with a quick spell, but Adam’s perception would be infinitely more reliable than his. There was a permanent portal in the gardens not far from here - it would be easiest to use that to get back to America - all Michael had to do was get there. He retrieved one of his cursed knives from his robes and gripped it in his hand. No harm in being careful.</p><p>He restrengthened his invisibility spell and added a noise-cloaking one as well before stepping back out into the pitch-black gardens. The tension was exhilarating as he crept along the path, but whoever was watching them didn’t seem to feel like engaging, and Michael made it to the portal in one piece.</p><p>“Adam, may I channel you?” he asked, already pulling threads of magic out of his own soul to activate and direct the portal.</p><p>&lt;<em>Uhh.</em>&gt; He seemed less than keen.</p><p>“That’s fine. I can manage without.” It’d be more trouble than it’s worth to channel an unwilling familiar. He continues throwing his magic at the portal, occasionally glancing back over his shoulder. It bothered him that their shadow had consistently stayed out of his own perception.</p><p>Once activated, he dashed in the portal and leaped out the other side, cutting it off the second he was through. </p><p>“We’re home. I hope,” he added, looking around at the trees. He’d seen far too many trees today for them to be proof of anything. It was still daylight here, so that was something. “Can you still sense them?” Adam was gripping hard onto his robes, making it difficult to pull him out.</p><p>&lt;<em>No,&gt; </em> Adam said after a long pause. &lt;<em>Just us here. I think there’s a lot of people a little ways off though.&gt; </em></p><p>“What direction? Come out,” he said, fruitlessly tugging on the fox. Adam reluctantly obeyed, shifting to a human in Michael’s hands.</p><p>“There,” he said, pointing. He had an embarrassed flush on his face. Michael touched it tenderly. </p><p>“Thank you. You’re doing a good job,” he praised.</p><p>“Yeah, I know,” Adam said shortly, and looked away.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Luckily, Michael hadn’t landed them too far from where they had originally departed. The “lot of people” Adam had sensed was the city nearest Adam’s town that Michael had been shopping in earlier.</p><p>“We should head back to the motel,” Michael decided, his face lighting up at the implication. “We can take the bus.”</p><p>“The bus?” Adam looked less than eager. “Can’t we just, uh, run?”</p><p>Run? Ah. Adam was thinking of the metaphysical mode of transit that familiars used to navigate space and time, <em> not </em>running a twenty mile marathon to get back home. Michael hoped.</p><p>“You can,” he said, puzzled. “I cannot.” How disappointing. Michael would have greatly enjoyed riding a bus with Adam.</p><p>“You <em> can’t?” </em> Adam asked, equally perplexed. “I - oh - okay then. I’ll meet you at the motel, I guess.” He shifted back to a fox and ran off, quickly blurring as he escaped into the ether.</p><p>No, Michael could very much not do that.</p><p>Adam rejoined him at the bus stop, grabbing onto his hand out of nowhere. Michael wasn’t sure how he managed not to jump. “You’re seriously catching the bus,” Adam said in surprise.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“I thought you were kidding. You can, like, teleport.”</p><p>“Teleporting shouldn’t be used unnecessarily. One small mistake and I could end up wedged in that pole,” he said, nodding at a streetlamp. “Fatally.”</p><p>“Oh…”</p><p>Some people were giving them strange looks. Michael sneered down at them, and they hastily turned away, although he heard one man say to his friend, “Looks like the fairies are out in full force tonight.”</p><p>Adam tensed beside him, squeezing his hand hard. Was that some kind of insult? Michael considered exploding the man’s head off, but he remembered how delicate Adam was just in time, and settled for laying a minor curse on him instead. Adam twitched as he silently sent his magic out. The stranger immediately paled and ran off, presumably to a bathroom.</p><p>“What did you do,” Adam whispered furiously into his ear. “You said-”</p><p>“Nothing lethal,” Michael reassured him. “Just diarrhoea,” he expounded, when Adam didn’t settle.</p><p>“You - eww,” Adam complained.</p><p>“My goodness, you’re hard to please.”</p><p>Once they were seated on the bus, Adam relaxed, resting his head on Michael’s shoulder. Michael was still enjoying the bus experience, looking around at all the different people and smiling when he made eye contact.</p><p>“People are looking at us more than they used to,” he observed. Adam scoffed.</p><p>“It’s cause they think we’re gay. Just ignore them.”</p><p>Michael processed this information. Gay, as in homosexual. “Are we not gay? I thought you wanted to be a couple.”</p><p>Adam’s eyes rolled up to him thoughtfully, but he didn't otherwise respond.</p><p>“I can pretend to be a woman, if you prefer.”</p><p>“You’re fine,” Adam mumbled into his neck. “I don’t care what these backwards-ass people think.”</p><p>Michael, of course, thought likewise. They sat in comfortable silence as the bus rolled along until Adam decided to break it a few minutes later with the most absurd question ever:</p><p>“Are you a lich?”</p><p>Michael couldn’t help but laugh. “No. Decidedly not.”</p><p>Adam hummed. “Mom said it sounded like you were a lich, but then we went and visited you and she said you couldn’t be one cause your blood wasn’t black. I guess liches have black blood.”</p><p>“They do, yes, because they are undead. I am not undead,” Michael reminded him.</p><p>“Yeah.” Adam sounded unconvinced.</p><p>“Your mother seems quite well-educated,” Michael observed idly. </p><p>“She is,” Adam said proudly. “She’s really smart.”</p><p>Michael smiled. How sweet.</p><p>“Did you put a curse on me yesterday?” Adam asked out of the blue.</p><p>Alarmed, Michael began checking over his familiar immediately. “No. Why?” Surely he would have noticed Adam was cursed prior to now, wouldn’t he?</p><p>“Uhh. I just had these really bad nightmares. It was kind of strange, like I was actually dying.” Adam looked a bit uncomfortable as Michael poked and prodded him in worry.</p><p>“That was probably just separation anxiety,” Michael said, his heart clenching. “I should not have let you depart yesterday.” How careless of him.</p><p>“Separation anxiety?”</p><p>“It can be difficult for a bonded witch and familiar to spend the night apart,” Michael said. “I, too, was lonely.”</p><p>“I knew it,” Adam muttered.</p><p>Ah. “I misspoke.”</p><p>“No you didn’t,” Adam said, rolling his eyes. Michael tsked at him.</p><p>“I can’t find any curse. I will test you properly at home. If someone placed a fear spell on you, it will likely have dissipated by now,” he speculated. “Did you encounter any strangers on your way home yesterday?”</p><p>“No, I ran straight home.” Adam eyed him curiously. “Why are you like this?”</p><p>“Like what?”</p><p>“So desperate to pretend you don’t have any feelings. I’d accuse you of being macho, but…” he coiled a lock of Michael’s hair around his fingers and shrugged. “That doesn’t seem quite right.”</p><p>“I have feelings,” Michael said. “But it is not your duty to care for them. I must care for you.”</p><p>Adam exhaled heavily and took Michael’s hand in his as he laid his head back on his shoulder. “Don’t you know it’s possible for two people to care for each other at the same time?”</p><p>That didn’t sound feasible. “Please don’t concern yourself with my feelings,” Michael urged, rather than debating the point. “I promise you I am not suffering.”</p><p>Adam quietly kissed the side of Michael’s neck and didn’t say anything. Michael was relieved.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Mom already tested me pretty thoroughly this morning,” Adam said, sitting in the middle of the motel room as Michael drew magic circles around him with chalk.</p><p>“I would rather do it myself, just to be certain,” Michael said calmly, not hesitating in the slightest.</p><p>“Yeah.” Adam hadn’t made eye contact with him since the bus, which Michael found difficult. His eyes were such a pretty shade of blue. Michael greatly enjoyed looking into them.</p><p>“Did you really think I laid a curse on you?” Michael wondered.</p><p>“I knew you wouldn’t have. But it seemed pretty dumb to ‘know’ something about someone I’ve known for a week. And Mom seemed pretty sure it was a curse. So…” He shrugged.</p><p>“Your intuition was correct. My fondness for you aside, familiars are sacred. Laying a curse on one would be blasphemy.”</p><p>“Aren’t you trying to kill your familiar brother?” Adam asked.</p><p>“That’s different. He deserves it.” Michael would accept whatever consequence God decided to inflict on him if it meant getting his vengeance on the snake. “Besides, killing is a lot less sacrilegious than cursing.” He wasn’t too worried.</p><p>“Uh-huh,” said Adam, clearly not convinced. </p><p>Michael cast just about every detection spell he knew, ran every test possible to find a curse hidden somewhere on his cute little fox. Only when the final test came up as empty as the others did he allow himself to relax.</p><p>“You’re not cursed. It must just be separation anxiety, as I thought. It would be best if you stayed with me at night.” He glanced around his current lodgings with disdain. He had been planning on having a more comfortable living environment when he invited Adam to live with him, but perhaps the situation would not allow it.</p><p>“Sure,” Adam said. Michael was surprised by his enthusiasm. “You can come stay at my place again.”</p><p>“Your place?” Michael made a face. “Adam, I told you-”</p><p>“I know, you got some weird hang up about living with my family. But you don’t have to join the coven to stay at my house. Oh! You can pay me rent. I’ll be your landlord again,” he said, a big grin on his face.</p><p>“Rent?” Michael mulled it over. He supposed that would make it more impersonal. More acceptable. “What’s the rate?”</p><p>Adam’s smile somehow stretched even further. “Uhh. $50 a week?”</p><p>That seemed cheap. Michael’s smart phone had cost him over $1000. “Very well,” he agreed. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>They went in through the back door. It was a little too much like teenagers sneaking around for Michael’s tastes, but Adam assured him everything was above board. “I just don’t wanna make a scene,” he told him.</p><p>They went through the laundry, then into the dining room. Sitting at the table poring over some documents were Adam’s father and stepmother. They glanced up and back down before doing a double-take.</p><p>“Adam? Who’s this?” Mary said, staring at Michael with narrowed eyes.</p><p>“Uh, hi Mary, hi Dad. This is Michael.” Michael bowed politely.</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“My - my witch. Didn’t Mom tell you?” She shook her head. John was slowly eyeing Michael up and down. “That I got a witch? Um, I thought she was going to tell you.”</p><p>“She didn’t,” Mary said, frowning.</p><p>“Oh. Is - is it okay if he stays here? Just in my room,” Adam rushed to say.</p><p>“Fine,” John said gruffly. </p><p>Mary turned round to look at him. “John-”</p><p>“It’s fine,” he repeated, picking up a paper and pointedly sticking his face in it. “Just let your mother know.”</p><p>“Yes, I will,” Adam said gratefully, grabbing Michael’s hand and pulling him out of the room. “Thanks.”</p><p>They went upstairs to Adam’s bedroom, fortunately avoiding any similar encounters. They stopped off at Kate’s room first, as per John’s request. She didn’t seem thrilled to see Michael again. More resigned than anything.</p><p>Adam lay on his bed and dragged his fingers through his hair. “Man. I can’t believe it’s only 9.”</p><p>“Yes,” Michael said, digging his robe pockets for his bundle of cash. “We should go to bed soon.”</p><p>Adam laughed. “That’s <em> not </em>what I meant.”</p><p>Michael found the money, and took out a fifty to give to Adam. “Here you are. My first week’s rent.”</p><p>“Thanks,” said Adam. “Paying upfront? What a good tenant you are.”</p><p>Michael smiled. He would prefer to pay Adam in the skulls of his enemies, but he didn’t think the boy had any.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Servants of the Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adam opened his eyes to long grey ones staring straight at him. Michael’s. He snuggled up against the witch. He was a long, warm, bony pillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, Adam,” Michael said, way too loudly. Adam groaned at him and turned around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you didn’t get much sleep the other night, but please do wake up. It’s nearly noon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Noon</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Adam frantically stumbled out of bed like a frightened zombie and lurched over to his desk, grabbing his phone and books in a panic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His phone read 8:43am. He put the books down and showed the display to Michael, who smiled up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, you have classes soon, don’t you? Luckily I woke you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t-” Adam dragged his hand over his face. He was doing his classes online at the moment. He could look at them whenever. “I think I would have preferred to sleep in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will keep that in mind,” Michael said seriously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael followed him down to breakfast. He was a bit nervous, but it looked like all the adults had already dined and left. Jo, Kevin and Jack were still there though, Kevin balancing Jack on his legs as the four year old played with his action figures.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Jo said, her eyebrows shooting up as she looked Michael over. “Whoa, who’s this? Your grandpa?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Adam said curtly. “Michael. He’s my witch.” He was already grumpy, and the implied insult put him on the defensive. He grabbed Michael’s hand and pulled him over to sit at the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning,” Michael said politely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” they both said, one a lot more nervously than the other. Jack perked up when he realised there was someone new here and added in a bright “Hello!” as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re Adam’s cousins?” Michael queried as Adam grabbed a couple of plates and began serving himself and Michael the few left on the big plate in the middle. They glanced at each other in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Uh, just in the same coven,” Jo answered. “Jo Harvelle. I stay with my mom at her bar outside of town. But Dean always cooks up way too much food, so I like to come here to eat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Michael said, sounding equally puzzled. “And you?” he asked Kevin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Jack,” Jack said earnestly, trying to reach over to Michael. Kevin pulled him in a little tighter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, Kevin Tran. Um. I’m a member of the coven too. Not a cousin,” he said, the words spilling out of his mouth in a rush. “This is Jack. He’s Cas’s kid. Cas is always away though, so I usually end up babysitting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who is Cas?” Michael wondered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dean’s familiar,” Adam said. Michael opened his mouth and Adam quickly cut in to answer the question before he asked it - “Dean is one of my half brothers. I think you talked to him yesterday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yes,” Michael said, settling back in his chair as an amused half-smile crept over his face. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>recall.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam shoved bowls of fruit, cream and butter at him. “Eat your pancakes,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh… yes, sir,” he said, even more annoyingly, and obliged him. Adam dumped piles of butter and sugar on his own before they went anywhere near his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want pancakes,” Jack said excitedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kevin shushed him. “You already ate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam’s eating pancakes,” he complained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael leaned forward, smiling. “Young man, how many pancakes did you have?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Umm. One,” Jack said, pointing a finger up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My goodness. And how many does Adam have?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack counted carefully. “One, two, three, four, five. Five,” he decided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Michael said, putting his hand on his chest. “You certainly know a lot of numbers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>the numbers,” Jack said proudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? What’s the biggest number?” Michael asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack thought for a moment. “Seventeen. No, nineteen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s very good, Jack. What a smart little boy you are,” Michael praised. Jack beamed at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam felt irked, for some reason. Why should he care if Michael was good with kids? It was sweet. Wasn’t it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna watch TV!” Jack announced, shifting just enough to slip out of Kevin’s grip before rushing over to the couch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jack, no shifting in the house!” Kevin called out after him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No shifting in the house?” Michael asked, his voice dangerously quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s - uh-” Kevin looked at Adam for assistance. “It’s a house rule.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Dad and Mary don’t want us shifting in the house,” Adam explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael frowned. “Young familiars need to be able to shift wherever they please. It’s crucial to their development.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I underdeveloped then?” Adam asked blankly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael looked a little lost. “You shift in the house all the time.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not meant to.” He only really did it when he was upset. Or when he wanted to go outside without going downstairs. Which didn’t really count as shifting inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They don’t teach them any magic either… Really…” Michael muttered to himself. Adam could feel his soul shaking from across their bond. It worried him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine. Uh. Cas is probably teaching him, when he’s around,” Adam offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But not you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not close with Cas. It’s complicated.” He asked him questions once in a while, but honestly Adam was a little scared of the wry cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael was still perturbed. Adam squeezed his thigh reassuringly and gestured at his uneaten pancakes. Michael slowly pecked through them, deep in thought all the while, and went over to the couch the second he’d finished them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam felt a tinge of jealousy. Extremely irrational jealousy, he reminded himself. Stop it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jack,” Michael said, kneeling down in front of the couch. Jack blinked down at him. “What kind of doggy are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What kind?” Jack asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you a big dog, or a small dog? Why don’t you show me,” Michael suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kevin shot Adam a questioning look. “Just let him,” Adam mouthed. He didn’t think Michael was up to anything malicious. Even if it was irritating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I?” Jack asked, looking in their direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Michael said, and Jack’s head swung back to him. “You may shift wherever you please. You are Jack, not a feral animal to be tossed outside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack didn’t need much encouragement, and had shifted into a big Labrador puppy by the time Michael had finished. Michael smiled and scratched him behind the ear. “You are a </span>
  <em>
    <span>big </span>
  </em>
  <span>doggy; I see. And very cute.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack happily licked his face. Adam saw red and stormed over there, hugging Michael from behind. “What are you doing? You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>witch,” he whispered into his ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael glanced at him curiously, before turning back to Jack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for showing me, Jack. Your uncle and I have to go upstairs, so I’ll leave you be.” Jack whined, and Michael cocked his head at him. “You can go back to your little alien friends, can’t you?” he said, indicating the TV. “You may wish to watch it in human form. I don’t think that device is designed for canine eyes or ears.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rose, and they headed to the stairs. Jack trotted after them for a few steps before running back to the TV.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Back in Adam’s room, Michael sat on Adam’s bed, and Adam quickly straddled him. Michael frowned up at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” he asked delicately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Michael put his hand around Adam’s neck and stroked it with his thumb. Adam dug his fingers into Michael’s thighs in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This does not seem like a healthy environment for familiars to grow up in. I was trying to help the puppy, not cause trouble,” Michael told him, searching his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about him. Worry about me,” Adam said, the ugly words coming out of his mouth unbidden. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael’s expression softened. “I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>most </span>
  </em>
  <span>worried about you, of course. You are my familiar. There is no competition.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well… good…” Adam said, reluctantly relaxing his grip. Michael was probably thinking he’s a selfish familiar right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael sat there calmly as Adam continued to awkwardly perch over him. It was like when the witch entered his dreams, but in reverse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps we should go for a walk,” Michael suggested at last. “It’s a nice day today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam glanced outside. It was cloudy, and threatening to storm. Very pointedly not a nice day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um,” he said. “If you want,” he finished lamely.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Michael’s hair and robes whipped around dramatically in the warm summer wind. It was funny - Michael had to constantly handle his robes and push his hair out of his face just to keep walking down the forest path - but also kind of pretty. Still, Adam was more glad than ever of his sensible haircut and sensible hoodie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All good things come to an end, however, and the wind died down after they had been walking for fifteen minutes, leaving a hollow silence in its wake. Michael had a faraway look on his face, though, and was still absentmindedly fixing his hair like he hadn’t noticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry for being crazy,” Adam said quietly. He felt horrible - he was jealous of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>four-year-old </span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm? You’re crazy?” Michael said. “That’s news to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam grabbed his hand and pulled him closer, embarrassed. “You were being nice to Jack. I shoulda been happy about it. Instead I got angry. That’s crazy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael smiled at him. “It’s okay to be angry sometimes. Even if it’s not for a good reason. You should be kinder to yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam was surprised at this almost fatherly advice from the witch. Should he be worried that Michael had been replaced in the middle of the night?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides, had I seen another witch lick </span>
  <em>
    <span>your </span>
  </em>
  <span>face, I would have done something much worse than simply get huffy. Your reaction was very passive, in my opinion,” Michael continued. There he was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It made Adam feel better. It shouldn’t have, but it did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mother,” Michael said, breaking the silence a few minutes later. “She’s from a religious coven, is she?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom?” Adam said in surprise. “Uhh. I don’t know.” He didn’t know much about Mom’s family. It was a bit of a touchy subject. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Familiars aren’t naturally born into your coven, are they? Did she have you before joining?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was a weird line of questioning. “She was pregnant when she joined, yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see.” Michael hummed. “There would have been more familiars in her old coven. A better support network.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean? Is it genetic?” Adam asked. “I thought a familiar could be born to any magic-using human.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know what a familiar is?” Michael asked in reply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A shapeshifter,” Adam said, uncertainly. He had the feeling that wasn’t what Michael was going for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you are not a shapeshifter. You simply have two faces. It would be a different kind of magic altogether to change your shape as you please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two faces?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Familiars are sacred. God’s gift to those who follow the faith is divinity itself. Your fox form is your divine self. But you are human, too. Two faces. You simply wear one at a time, that’s all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think I’m much of a gift,” Adam muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm. I would disagree. I think you’re wonderful,” Michael said, in the same plaintive voice he had been using for his lecture. It was embarrassing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Familiars are simply not born to heretic covens. That’s why all the familiars in yours are outsiders. And why it’s wholly unsuited for a familiar to grow up in. They’ve neglected you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not neglected,” Adam mumbled. This conversation was getting uncomfortable. “I’ve got food, shelter, love, whatever. You need to chill.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am very chill right now. I promise.” Michael stroked his hair, and Adam leaned into the familiar gesture, ignoring the concerningly vicious tone in Michael’s voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Michael was unerringly polite at the dinner table. Adam tried not to be too worried about it. His whole family was there and a bunch of regulars too. Sam and Mary headed an interrogation against the strange witch and Michael answered every question with a smile. The other adults watched with varying degrees of suspicious scowls on their faces, while the kids at the other end of the table awkwardly chatted amongst themselves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took them forever to get to the chase. “So - Michael - uh, we had some murders start cropping up last week. Around when you said you came into town. Looks like a witch did all three of em,” Sam offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How frightful,” Michael commented. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah - uh - do you know anything about it? Or…” Sam trailed off awkwardly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam glanced at Mom. Michael had basically told her he did it. If she had told them, why were they wasting time on this? She wearily returned his gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’ve ceased, haven’t they?” Michael said, sounding thoughtful. “Perhaps it is best to let sleeping dogs lie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That got him some narrowed eyes in response. Michael added, “I’m no detective. I won’t be of much use, I’m afraid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Sam said with resignation. In conjunction with Mary he finally backed off. Adam was relieved, although Michael didn’t seem fussed either way. He ate his spaghetti with a quiet curiosity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of dinner passed uneventfully. It was similar to normal meals with his family, with everyone chatting amongst themselves and no one to Adam; this time, however, no one was talking to Michael either. Adam could change that, he realised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael, hey,” he said lowly, tugging on his sleeve. Michael put his knife and fork down to give Adam his full attention, which wasn’t his intention. “Umm, do you like it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The food?” Michael asked. “Yes. It’s very salty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cool. Um. I’m glad.” To be honest, he didn’t really know what else you talked about at dinner. He could talk to Michael in private… This was stupid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is yours no good? I can go and fetch you something else,” Michael offered, to his surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, I like it too,” Adam said quickly. Of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course </span>
  </em>
  <span>Michael would get the wrong impression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well, dearest. Let me know if you change your mind.” He went back to his food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been more chatty at breakfast. Maybe he wasn’t comfortable talking in front of everyone else either. Or maybe he was mad at Adam for earlier. His chest felt a little bit tight, and he leaned into Michael for comfort. The witch leaned back, but it could have been instinctive. Not an intentional display of reassurance. Adam worried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cornered Michael once they were back in their bedroom. “Hey,” he said, trying to think of how to say something, anything without sounding needy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Adam,” Michael said, with some amusement. “Is something wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, umm. I was surprised you didn’t just tell them you were the one that killed those people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They already know,” Michael said, raising an eyebrow. “I can’t stand passive-aggressive behaviour like that. Besides, if I give them a reason to kick me out, my familiar might have nightmares again. I thought it would be best to not engage.” He kissed Adam on the cheek. It felt apologetic, somehow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, good. I don’t disapprove,” Adam clarified.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m thankful,” Michael said. “I dislike dishonesty; it’s beneath me. But you’re more important.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam turned his head with embarrassment, but Michael grabbed his chin and turned it back. “Don’t you look away from me,” he scolded. “Say ‘Yes Michael, I’m important’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam stomped on his foot and went to go have a shower instead.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adam sat straight up as he was snapped out of sleep by a surge of panic. His alarm - did he sleep in? The room was pitch black - Michael still lying next to him. Not his alarm. He tried to calm the fluttering in his heart. Had he had another nightmare? He didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>think </span>
  </em>
  <span>so -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He reluctantly lay back down and slung an arm over Michael’s immobile body. With his face mere inches from Michael’s, he could just make out tear-stained cheeks in the darkness, and realised the panic was coming from Michael. Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>was having nightmares?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael,” he whispered, rocking him gently, then louder, “Michael!” Nothing. He felt through their bond and tugged on it, hoping that would do something. “Michael,” he urged. “Wake up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch’s eyes slowly opened, unfocused. “Mmm…Fox?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry to wake you. You were having a nightmare, I think,” Adam said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was I?” Michael pushed his body off the bed, hovering over Adam but not quite supporting himself fully, his weight already bearing down on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Was it, um, are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stress,” Michael said, nonsensically, his full body weight now pushing Adam into the mattress, and his eyes closed once more. The panicked feeling had never stopped. Adam was surprised at how well Michael had impersonated an awake person.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rubbed the tears off Michael’s face with concern. Um. Okay. Well, Michael was able to go in his dreams no problem. Maybe he could do the reverse? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael’s dreams were in his head, of course. Adam just tried to visualise squeezing himself in there. Through the ears? No, too small. He went through the eyes instead. Once he started </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying </span>
  </em>
  <span>to enter the dream, it came to him instinctively and he slipped through the dimensions until he was in the dream dimension.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael was in a forest clearing, kneeling down and fiddling with something. Well, “forest clearing” here meaning a singular circle of trees around very grey looking grass. Adam approached him, coming round the side to see what he was doing. There was a golden fox lying in front of him, tied up in bundles and bundles of thorny vines. Michael was carefully undoing the bindings, only for more to regrow as quickly as he could undo them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael?” Adam called out, and Michael turned to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam?” he said in confusion, looking between him and the fox. “Then who is this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just a dream,” Adam told him. Michael still looked lost. He was crying here too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baby, I’m okay,” Adam said softly. “I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That seemed to make it click. “Oh,” Michael said hoarsely. “I’m dreaming.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fox and the thorns vanished. Adam knelt in front of his witch and took his hands, smiling patiently. “I’m okay,” he repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you?” Michael searched his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huh?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m not the one having nightmares,” he teased lightly. “That fox didn’t even look like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Michael asked. He sounded so tender that Adam was feeling a little bad for invading his personal space like this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I’m not bright gold and glowing?” he answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To my eyes, you are,” Michael said. “I have said so. You brim with divinity.” Not his usual lecturing tone, but an honest expression of admiration. Adam half-seriously wondered if he could swap this Michael with the real world Michael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” he said. “Umm, I should go.” It felt dangerous being with someone so vulnerable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay,” Michael requested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one ever asked him to stay except Michael. People were happy to see him bolt out of their space. Out of sight, out of mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stayed.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adam woke at the same time as Michael in the morning, or at least was forced out of his head, and it was a little surreal to see him start lifting himself out of bed the second his eyes snapped open. The witch started tucking Adam back into bed, and did a double-take when he noticed Adam’s wide-open eyes staring at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, dearest,” he murmured. “Did you have trouble sleeping?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that was you,” Adam told him. “I went into your dreams to fix it. I’ve been there all night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm. Really? That sounds like a lot of trouble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t any trouble. I fixed it really quickly. You don’t remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never remember my dreams,” Michael said thoughtfully. “How unfair. You could have been doing anything in there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That stung a little. “You don’t trust me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I trust you,” Michael said, opening the blinds to let the dawn light stream in. “Otherwise you wouldn’t have been able to get in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s good,” Adam muttered, rolling over in the bed. “I’m going to sleep. I’m exhausted from protecting you all night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” Michael said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t true. Actually, he felt completely refreshed. He could hear Michael sit down at the desk and start working on something. He peeked from behind the blankets to see he was spinning gold wires out of thin air. More jewellery, huh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got tired of straining his neck after a couple of minutes and sat on the end of his bed instead to watch. “Can’t sleep?” Michael asked. “Am I being too loud?” Adam </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>he was perfectly aware he was almost silent, aside from the occasional muffled rustling of his pyjama sleeves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay. I forgive you,” Adam said benevolently. Michael smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lockdown was rather casually lifted; not that Adam had been staying in the house anyway. He was pretty sure no one had even noticed his multiple absences. It was the end of the week anyway, but Adam took Michael along to his few Friday classes, the witch calmly sitting next to him and enchanting anyone that would object to his presence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On Sunday, he was startled to wake up on an unfamiliar bench, staring up into the open sky. Michael greeted him as he usually did and Adam struggled to get his bearings. He was in some kind of small church with the roof completely removed, sunlight streaming down all around them, candles, plants and symbols all over the place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where - what?” said a bewildered Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re at an abandoned church I found just outside your coven’s territory,” Michael explained. “I refurbished it for our use.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could have woke me up,” Adam protested. “I could have helped.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael kissed him on the forehead. “Thank you,” he said, “It’s time for Sunday service.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael spent most of his time making jewellery for his online shop or otherwise scribbling intensely in countless notebooks. Adam wasn’t quite sure what he was up to. Once he tried asking, “Are you still looking for your brother?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Michael said coldly. “I have higher concerns at present.” Adam backed off after that. He’d rather avoid incurring the witch’s wrath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they came home from school a couple of days later, there was a small gathering in the family room. Cas was back, and Sam, Dean and Bobby were all sitting on couches chatting with him while Jack drew in a big scrapbook. Adam went to head upstairs as usual, but to his surprise Michael went straight for them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Castiel?” he said in a very authoritative voice. “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam came back and cling onto Michael’s arm as he stared down the older familiar, who squinted at him before shock spread across his face and he rose almost robotically from the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Father Michael - err,” he said. “I thought you were, uh, assassinated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I was. Luckily I managed to survive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You - wait, Cas, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>this guy?” Dean said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was the high priest of my old coven,” Cas said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are Cas?” Michael queried, his eyes briefly flicking towards Jack. “I see. So you are no longer with the Malakhim?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I left a few years ago to join the Winchester coven.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Michael repeated. “Are you still in contact with them? I need to find Lucifer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas stiffened even further. “Why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He murdered me, if you’ll recall. I’m not too happy with him,” Michael remarked languidly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas stared. “I was under the impression the Crowley coven arranged your assassination.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be impressive, given it’s very much beyond their abilities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cat, I know who killed me,” Michael said rather sharply. Castiel’s face tightened; Dean started to stand up defensively but he pushed him back down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand,” Cas said guardedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will discuss this in private,” Michael said, glancing at their audience. “Come meet me in Adam’s room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell?” Dean barked at him. “Stop fucking acting like you’re king of the world, asshole. You got some fucking nerve coming into </span>
  <em>
    <span>our house </span>
  </em>
  <span>and talking to Cas like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room went very still for a few seconds. Then Michael said, “Very well. Then, Castiel, </span>
  <em>
    <span>if </span>
  </em>
  <span>you</span>
  <em>
    <span> please</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I believe Adam and I would appreciate it if you could join us in our room. At your earliest convenience, of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas gave a thin-lipped nod, still restraining Dean with a firm hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come,” Michael told Adam, and he quickly hurried after his witch after giving his brothers an apologetic smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know Cas?” Adam asked once his door was shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Only his face and name,” Michael said. “This is a bit of a shock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? You don’t sound too shocked,” Adam teased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m baffled that anyone from my coven would join a godless one like this. I suppose for the weak of will, that’s less of an issue.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weak of will? “I don’t think Cas is weak of will,” Adam said. “He’s pretty stubborn.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not the same thing,” Michael told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How is it not the same thing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One is how you navigate your own course. One is how you deal with others. You can be flexible in the latter without failing the former.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Adam said. Michael caught the sarcasm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, you can also be like Adam Milligan and disagree with everything I say, but still follow me along regardless,” he added cheerfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Adam objected. “I don’t disagree with </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything </span>
  </em>
  <span>you say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Castiel knocked on the door about half an hour later. Adam jumped up to answer the door; Michael was furiously scribbling yet more indecipherable notes on the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Adam,” Cas said slowly. “I’m here to see Michael.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure,” Adam said. “Come in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May Dean come with me?” Cas asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean Winchester? In Adam’s room? His </span>
  <em>
    <span>bedroom? </span>
  </em>
  <span>No. Hell no. He mustered all the energy he had to politely say, “No, sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Cas said, looking past him to Michael. Michael glanced up but didn’t say anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would prefer to have Dean with me,” Cas said, past Adam </span>
  <em>
    <span>to Michael</span>
  </em>
  <span>. That rankled Adam no end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe Adam was clear,” Michael said calmly. “He is the landlord here. His word goes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. My word goes,” Adam said, grateful for the support.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas hesitated, but said “Fine,” and shooed the person behind him - obviously Dean - off before stepping into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael,” he said, awkwardly standing before the witch who was still lounging on Adam’s bed. “What are you doing here? What are you planning?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What am I </span>
  <em>
    <span>planning?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Michael said, eyebrows shooting up. “I’m planning to kill Lucifer. Now, I need to know all the information you have on him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Cas said. Adam could feel the lash of anger from Michael’s soul, like a whip being cracked. His face barely tightened. “I mean what are you doing in my coven’s home.” He glanced at Adam. “I have been informed you are not joining.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, of course not, Castiel, these people are heretics. You should leave, and your familiar foster-son,” Michael advised. “I am only staying here to protect my familiar until I have the capital to provide him an adequate livelihood elsewhere.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I cannot leave,” Cas said, frowning. “My witch is here. We are bonded.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael leaned forward, a sinister smile on his face. “Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>there’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>an issue that’s easily solved.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That… won’t be necessary,” Cas said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What? Did Michael know a way to unbind a witch and familiar? That was news to Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It isn’t your decision,” Michael said. “However, if you tell me where Lucifer is, perhaps I’ll get distracted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know where he is,” Cas said. Michael started getting up. “Michael, wait. I’ll tell you what I do know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“After you died,” Cas said, “Or nearly died - Lucifer took over the coven for a couple of decades. But the coven started getting wracked with calamity near the last few years of his high priesthood. He disappeared, and the disasters stopped.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Dark Lord,” Michael said thoughtfully. “I wonder what he did?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Adam asked. He felt a little left out sitting by the desk. He came to the bed and wrapped his arms around Michael from behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Dark Lord punishes those who commit the worst sins with calamity,” Michael said. “What sin did the snake commit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was it not for killing you?” Adam asked with bemusement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No - he would not care about that,” Michael said. “At the end of the day, I am just a witch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you were High Priest,” Adam argued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“High priests are a dime a dozen. And they die all the time. Hardly remarkable.” Michael eyed Cas thoughtfully. “Do you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Castiel admitted. “There were many rumours, but I have no idea if any of them were even close to the truth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm.” Michael leaned back into Adam’s embrace. Adam took his weight with surprise. “The owl and the rat, then? Did one of them take over?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Raphael and Gabriel? Err, no. They vanished at the same time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Michael said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was it another coup then?” Adam suggested. “Who took over after that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Err - there was some schisming within the coven before the old high priest returned. He restructured the coven and left for good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably not a coup then,” said Michael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Cas said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see. Very well, Castiel, that will be all,” Michael said. Cas didn’t seem too unhappy at getting dismissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On his way to the door, he turned and asked, “When are you leaving the house?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam has exams soon, Castiel. We can’t uproot in the middle of that,” Michael said. “By the grace of God, hopefully in a month.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Castiel said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael called out to him before he exited, “By the way, Castiel, I will be holding a Sabbath service this weekend. I invite you to attend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Er, thank you,” Cas said. “I’ll think about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adam was approached by Claire, Alex and Kaia the next day at home. “Hey,” Claire said. “We heard from Castiel that your new witch is running a traditional Sabbath. Can we come?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, probably, sure,” Adam said, his head half in their enormous snack cupboard looking for something good. “Wait, the Sabbath? Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, these guys haven’t been able to have one since they lost their old covens,” Claire said, indicating the girls next to her. “Jody and Donna said it’d be okay, so…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Adam said. “I’m sure Michael will be happy there’s more people worshipping God, or whatever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Dark Lord,” Alex corrected him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said or whatever,” Adam said, rolling his eyes. “Um, just come here on the night. Michael’s renovated some old church, we’ll probably walk there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, thanks,” Claire said. Alex and Kaia smiled at him, both a little shier than the blonde witch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam let Michael know the minute he got back to the room. “Alex, Claire and Kaia want to come to the Sabbath. That’s alright, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who?” Michael said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex, Claire, and Kaia. Um. They’re orphans that Jody and Donna took in. You’ve seen them at dinner a couple of times. Claire was saying that Alex and Kaia have been missing doing the religious Sabbath since they came here, or something like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm. Your coven takes in a lot of orphans,” Michael observed. “I suppose that would be a side effect of cursing everyone you come in contact with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? We don’t curse anyone,” Adam said, bewildered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps not on purpose.” Michael didn’t elaborate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, can they come or not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, of course. Anyone that genuinely wishes to observe the service is welcome.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, cool. Cause I already told them yes.” A thought struck him. “Wait, do you think Mom would want to come? You think she’s from a religious coven too, right?” Adam had been wondering about Mom’s old coven since Michael had brought it up the other day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You would know better than I,” Michael said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It couldn’t hurt. That much. Adam ducked into his mother’s office with some trepidation. He was hoping Mom would come to the Sabbath, see how earnest Michael was when he was in religious mode, and warm to him a little bit. It was killing him that his mom had been avoiding all contact with his witch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam? What’s wrong?” she said, standing up immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing - Mom, calm down,” he said. “Um. Michael is running a Sabbath on Saturday. Like a religious one. I thought maybe you’d want to come?” he offered with optimism.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would you think that,” she said, frowning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um. Michael said you’re probably from a religious coven. Which is how you had me. So - um - I don’t know,” he said sheepishly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam, come here,” she said, beckoning. When he came over she took his hands in hers. “I had you because I had an affair with your father, and my ‘religious’ coven kicked me out for the same reason. I don’t want anything to do with them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Adam said, distraught. “I didn’t know they kicked you out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed. “No, I guess you didn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, uhh, you don’t have to come. I thought you would enjoy it is all,” Adam mumbled. He received a little jolt from Michael tugging on their bond and started a little. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he tried to think angrily down through the bond. He had no idea if Michael received it or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s…” She paused. “I’m not opposed to Sabbaths in general. I suppose I’ll come.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to,” Adam repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, you already invited me. No take-backs,” she joked gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awesome,” Adam said, relieved. “See you there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>(“How do you undo a witch-familiar bond?” Adam asked as they lay in the dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wish to reject me?” Michael said, anxiety surging up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I mean a fully formed bond.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam, our bond has always been whole.” Michael rolled over to face him, lips brushing his forehead. “I will undo it if you truly wish to reject me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I don’t want that.” The anxiety changed to unadulterated joy. “But… I mean, you can do it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Michael murmured. “When their partner dies, the witch or familiar that survives them will be unbound.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Michael had been threatening to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill </span>
  </em>
  <span>Dean. That made sense, strangely. Even more strangely, Adam didn’t care.)</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>The six of them traipsed out to Michael and Adam’s little church. It seemed Castiel had elected not to come. Michael didn’t appear to care, so Adam didn’t worry too much about it either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael had two gym bags full of stuff he was bringing for the Sabbath. It made Adam wonder if he had greatly underestimated what the service entailed. Sunday service was just Michael talking at him, right…?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they got to the church, Michael started moving the pews outside the walls, and everyone else helped. Once the building was clear, Michael drew even more symbols on the floor of the church, a great big circle with many more sigils layered inside of it. Once he was done, he gestured for everyone to come sit in the circle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam tried to sit next to him and hold his hand, but the witch said, “We need to be sat equidistant from our neighbours, please, Adam.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam looked pleadingly at him. Michael looked even more pleadingly back and repeated, “Please, dearest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam reluctantly obliged. Alex was smirking at him. He made a face at her in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael silently sent tendrils of magic out to the candles in the church to extinguish them all, leaving only three lit ones in the center of the circle. The sun was already well set, so it was pretty dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome, servants of the night, to the first Sabbath of the Adam-Michael coven,” Michael intoned. “Name to be worked out. Thank you, beloved children of the coven, for joining in the worship of our Dark Lord. Thank you, beloved guests, for joining in the worship of our Dark Lord. Tonight, on the darkest Saturday of this moon, we dance upon the edges of the world to pay our respects to the one that works tirelessly behind the scenes. We hope he hears our love and worship and bestows his guidance on us in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before we begin the tenth hour, I want to remind the beloved servants in attendance that they may recuse themselves from any activity,” Michael said, sternly looking around at them all. “You are no less a child of the night because there is a ritual you cannot or will not do. Am I clear?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was nodding all around the circle. Mom looked a little puzzled, but she nodded too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The tenth hour soon approaches, and we will start the first ritual then. First, however, we have some virgins attending the Sabbath. So- ” He broke off when giggling erupted around the circle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mom said, “Excuse me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some people here haven’t attended a Sabbath before. Correct?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Well, yes…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam was extremely suspicious that Michael, who had picked up his Modern English vocabulary from Adam, wouldn’t know that virgin these days usually referred to sex. He narrowed his eyes at the witch and Michael had the nerve to wink back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, I will explain the hours before we do them. For the tenth hour, we offer our prayers to the Dark Lord, following the rituals that have been done by our people for millennia. This and the sixteenth hour are the simplest, as we are adhering to words and movements that are unchanging.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael dug in one of the gym bags, producing a bunch of his scribbled notes. “I have translated the rituals to English to make it easier for you all to perform. We all have a set amount to perform, and we must go clockwise around the circle starting and ending with the high priest, meaning me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He paused. “Are there any questions?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You translated it to English? Is that allowed?” Mom asked dubiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allowed?” Michael said, puzzled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We always did this stuff in Arcana,” Mom </span>
</p><p>
  <span>explained. “I thought everyone did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s traditional, but Adam doesn’t speak Arcana yet, and I assumed the other younger ones wouldn’t be fluent, either,” Michael said, looking at the girls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No one’s fluent in it,” Mom said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah. Well, then, I would prefer it if people understood the prayers they were offering to the Dark Lord. It would be insincere otherwise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Mom said, a wary look in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael passed around the bundles of paper to the members of the circle. Adam flicked through his with amazement; it was like twenty pages. Was </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>what Michael had been working on the whole time? Adam almost felt bad for thinking he was scheming something. Almost. Michael could have tried a little harder to not look so suspicious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to read all this?” Claire complained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You may recuse yourself if you are not willing to participate,” Michael reminded her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I mean. I didn’t bring a water bottle or anything… this is a lot of words…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water?” Michael asked quietly. He formed a glass in his hand and water poured into it from the air. He passed it over to her. “Here you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, thanks,” she said, confused. “Where did you summon that from?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I made it just now,” Michael said. “Does anyone else need water? It did not occur to me to be an issue.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Michael, just make some for everyone please,” Adam told him sweetly. Michael shrugged and created a water jug and a stack of glasses next to it in the middle of the circle. He looked up to the sky, frowning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No interruptions during prayers, please,” he told them. “They should be done with precision to show our devotion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael waited a few minutes before starting the prayers. He didn’t look down at the papers laid in his lap, instead reciting them from memory. That wasn’t too surprising to Adam, considering he had obviously </span>
  <em>
    <span>translated </span>
  </em>
  <span>them from memory. He listened to the rhythmic, practised recitation of the high priest. It was slightly harder to lose himself in the sound of Michael’s voice when he wasn’t speaking Latin; the actual content kept interrupting his happy mellow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wait, did Michael think he was insincere because he didn’t pay attention during Sunday service? He snapped out of his peaceful fog and stared at Michael with worry. He wasn’t insincere. He wasn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When it came to his turn to read, at the end of the circle, he tried looking intensely at Michael when he wasn’t looking at the words on the paper, to try and communicate his sincerity. Michael just smiled at him encouragingly, so Adam didn’t think he got the message.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Adam finished his pages, Michael quickly rattled off the last of the prayers in a barely-interpretable recitation. The rest of them had spent too much time stumbling over the weird phrasing, Adam guessed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The eleventh hour is upon us,” Michael said, instantly returning to his usual languorous speech once he had finished the prayers. “For this hour, we will each take a partner and brand their backs with the sins we have committed in the past moon. The Dark Lord will look upon it and judge us.” Mom, Kaia and Alex all tensed up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brand?” Claire asked. “Like…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Traditionally we use the Dark Lord’s flame or a knife,” Michael said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Mom said harshly. “No branding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But,” Michael said, ignoring her, “I have noticed most of you wear clothes that reveal your back. To expose your partner’s sin to others would be disrespectful of them and the Dark Lord. So…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael reached into the gym bag and pulled out a pouch of something, putting it in the middle of the circle. Adam cautiously opened it and dumped out the contents as everyone watched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sharpies spilled out over the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These markers will wash off, I think,” Michael said, sounding almost anxious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam gave him a thumbs up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I brought a few jackets to cover up for the night,” Michael added, pulling them out of the bag as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You… thought this through,” Alex said, eyeballing Claire hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course. It is my duty. Now then, we will need to pair up and find a private space to do the brandings. Familiars may choose a partner first, then witches.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam quickly grabbed onto Michael’s hand. That was a no-brainer. Alex, however, was having a tougher choice, looking between Claire and Kaia a little awkwardly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you two want to…?” she half-asked. They glanced at each other and nodded. She turned to Mom. “Um, would you mind being my partner, Kate?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, honey,” Mom said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam was a bit stumped. Were Claire and Alex having a fight? Or was something going on between Claire and Kaia? If it was the latter, he was annoyed it had somehow slipped his attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael was looking between them all, with his “We’re running late” scowl on. “If the pairs are sorted, we should commence with the eleventh hour,” he urged, picking up a couple of Sharpies and a candle and pulling Adam away. “Come, come.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They found a small spot amongst the trees. Adam kindly let Michael go first. He was a bit disappointed when Michael started silently writing on his naked back, because he was hoping for an idea of what writing down your “sins for the last moon” meant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You, umm, you don’t say them out loud?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael paused in his writing. “I can if you like. But it’s only permissible between a bonded pair. I would not be able to tell you if you were anyone else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm.” Michael traced the lines on his back. “I burdened Adam with my injury. I formed a bond with Adam while he was unconscious. I upset Adam by killing people in his name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, isn’t the actual killing the sin?” Adam asked, bemused by his name showing up so much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We only write down things that we are guilty about,” Michael informed him. He continued writing. “I used Adam while he was unconscious. I hid myself in Adam’s room for days like a criminal. I upset Adam by arguing with him about many things. I upset Adam by making a silly joke. I alarmed Adam when I was careless with a blood spell. I disturbed Father by accidentally contacting him and then I didn’t respond. I allow Adam to stay in a household that neglects him. I started the eleventh hour ritual late today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord, see my sins and judge freely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did Michael really feel guilty about all that stuff? That was kinda weird. Adam figured he wasn’t allowed to object, though. Michael stepped back and waited patiently for something to happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s generous,” Michael said after a while. “Thank you, my lord.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? What’s happening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Dark Lord erases those sins that he freely forgives. The rest we must work for forgiveness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” said Adam. Michael had said a lot of silly ones, so probably a lot had been erased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your turn,” Michael said, handing him the Sharpie and taking off his several layers of robes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Umm,” Adam stared at the naked back. What did he feel bad about?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, um, I asked Mom about her coven yesterday even though I knew she would get upset,” he said, awkwardly writing it down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to say it out loud if you don’t want to,” Michael reminded him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, I want to. Ummm.” This was harder than he would have thought. “I haven’t really been paying attention to Sunday service cause it’s all in Latin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?” Michael said, sounding alarmed. “That’s not your -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you allowed to interrupt?” Adam said crossly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I apologise,” Michael said reluctantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Umm, Michael feels bad every time I feel a slightly negative emotion.” Adam could feel Michael physically tensing under the touch of his pen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have been very jealous. I get angry whenever someone talks to Michael and I hide him up in my room,” Adam wrote down carefully. That’s - that’s true. He tried not to be so jealous. Everyone always stared at Michael when they went out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told lies,” he whispered. “I told myself lies.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He - his feelings were - it made more sense if they were coming from Michael. Lonely, sad, angry. So he’d thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I -” He felt the air was dragged out of him as he wrote the next guilty thought down. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I want to fuck Michael.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t say it out loud. It was too much. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I want Michael to want to fuck me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d lost all control of his hand, and choked out a sob as it wrote down, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I want Michael to kill my family.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam?” Michael said in alarm. Adam’s throat was closed off; he couldn’t respond. Michael turned around and took the pen from him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am recusing myself from this activity,” he told him, stroking his hair with worry. “No more sins, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I - I -” Adam gasped. “I didn’t - it’s not true. I didn’t mean to write it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael pulled him into a hug. “There, there,” he murmured. “Only the Dark Lord knows. If it is true, he will forgive you. If it is not, it doesn’t matter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But - I - why did I write that? Is there something wrong with me?” He didn’t want his family </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He just wanted them </span>
  <em>
    <span>gone.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s an issue easily solved,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” echoed Michael’s voice in his head. No, no, no. Go away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s not your decision to make.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael, shut up,” he mumbled stupidly. Michael was in the middle of saying something soothing, and stopped at his command. “Not - not you. Michael in my head.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If Michael in your head is bullying you, then he’s no Michael at all,” Michael said calmly. “Shoo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swatted the air above Adam’s head. He giggled weakly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, stop listening to him and come braid my hair,” Michael said, sitting on the grass and patting the ground beneath him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wh - what?” said Adam, following the movement. “Is this part of the ritual?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I just want it braided. Do you know how to do it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No?” Michael showed him. He sat there quietly braiding the long locks for a few minutes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The eleventh hour can be difficult for a first timer. It’s natural to get freaked out when you’re spilling your soul like that.” Michael spoke so casually. Adam envied him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it? Did you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I was a toddler at the time. Toddlers don’t feel guilt. That’s why they’re such prolific criminals.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam laughed a little. “Oh.” He looked up into Michael’s handsome grey eyes. They trusted him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael.” Michael held his gaze steadily. “If I asked you to kill someone, would you do it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael didn’t blink. “Of course. Unless I had a very good reason not to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want -” he swallowed. “I want you to kill my family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” Michael said, soft and dangerous. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate them,” Adam said, his fists clenched. “I want them gone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t disapprove,” Michael told him. Adam waited for the “but” but it didn’t seem forthcoming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you’ll - you’ll do it?” he croaked. Michael didn’t look even slightly bothered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will make arrangements.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What - what arrangements?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Destiny spells, that kind of thing.” Michael gazed off into the distance. “I have already altered your father’s lifespan to two years. But I will take more immediate measures if you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Altered his - lifespan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Altered his destiny, such that the cosmos itself will ensure that he dies in some manner before or at the culmination of his lifespan,” Michael explained. “But, for example, I could take a knife to his throat instead.” He smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you do that?” He </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>been scheming behind Adam’s back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have two parents, and one of them neglected you. I must get justice on your behalf.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But why go the long route? Two years?” Adam’s self-repulsion had been silently replaced by an aching curiosity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are starting a new coven,” said Michael. “If we start it while drenched in the blood of your old coven, we may find it difficult to make friends with other ones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want plausible deniability,” Adam reasoned. “I didn’t think you cared what other people care about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I care about the safety of my coven,” Michael said, tenderly. “Do you want them all dead, Adam? Your mother, and all of your cousins? Or just your blood relations?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael said cousins to mean any member of the coven, Adam thought. “I don’t want the whole coven dead. Or Mom. Just Dad, Sam, Dean, Mary, Bobby.” He hesitated as he named names. It made it seem much more like he was ordering a hit or something. “Don’t - nevermind. Don’t kill anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not killing anyone. Just hastening their departure from this Earth,” Michael assured him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want anyone dead. Sorry. I think I’m a little freaked out right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want what I want, and I want what you want,” said Michael. “It is the nature of being bonded. That’s why you just named everyone on my death-list. And it will be done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His</span>
  <em>
    <span> death-list? </span>
  </em>
  <span>“So you planted the idea in my head?” Adam asked. Michael wouldn’t - he didn’t think Michael would betray him like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Michael said slowly. “More like this: I wouldn’t have any reason to kill your family members if I wasn’t bonded with you, and you wouldn’t have the resolve to kill them without me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t lack resolve.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but your solution was to ignore your situation. Mine’s more aggressive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, no kidding,” Adam mumbled. He gave up on the tangled braid he had messed up while distracted and leaned into Michael instead. “I don’t want to think about this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” said Michael, not unkindly. “Please leave it in my hands. We need to return to the church soon,” he added abruptly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. Adam clutched at the ground as he glanced at Michael’s back, the black ink glistening in the candlelight. “Can I finish the eleventh hour first?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael frowned. “I don’t want you to get upset again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I know. I’ll be fine. Now that I know your brain is leaking into mine, if I suddenly think ‘I want to kill all puppies’ I’ll know that’s your thought, not mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not how this works,” Michael disagreed, but to Adam’s surprise he obligingly offered his back to Adam. “Hold my hand, and I will anchor you. Remember you are not giving yourself to the Dark Lord, only your sins.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok,” Adam agreed, taking the hand that was held out to him. He picked up the marker, but staring at the words on Michael’s back he really couldn’t think of anything else to add.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How had Michael said it? “I invite the Dark Lord to judge my sins,” he tried. That didn’t sound quite right, but Michael gave his hand a squeeze and he was surprised to see the ink start vanishing off Michael’s back. Yes, Michael had said </span>
  <em>
    <span>erased</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but for some reason Adam hadn’t really thought that was literal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re all gone,” he said in amazement. “Is that normal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are young, and a familiar,” Michael said. “The Dark Lord will be inclined to forgive your sins more than others. Yours were mild, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood up, turned around and pulled Adam up as well before redressing himself. “We really should go back,” he said unhappily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh - yes -” said Adam, obediently following after him. “Were all of yours erased?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only a couple,” Michael said. Oh. But he’d had so many. “I will work to be a better partner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By killing his blood relations behind his back?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They hurried back to the church, where everyone else already sitting and waiting. “Is everything alright?” Kaia asked. Were they that late? Adam replayed the eleventh hour over in his head. How long had he been braiding Michael’s hair for?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything is fine, thank you for asking,” Michael said, ushering Adam to his spot. “The twelfth hour is almost upon us. We will lie down and watch the darkness overhead, empty our minds in quiet reverie of the Dark Lord.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So it was some kind of meditation? Everyone was already starting to lie down, although Michael stayed sitting. Adam awkwardly lay down on his back, staring up at the night sky. They were pretty far from the nearest city, so there were a ton of stars in the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please get comfortable. It’s natural to fall asleep during the twelfth hour,” Michael continued. “I will keep vigil and wake any sleepers in time for the thirteenth hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re allowed to sleep?” Mom said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Dark Lord guides us through the Sabbath. If he lulls you to sleep, it makes little sense to resist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Huh. Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone was quiet after that. Adam stared up into the stars and tried to clear his mind. This would work better if it was cloudy, right? Then it would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> dark. No, he wasn’t meant to be thinking right now. Go away, thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was still frazzled from earlier. He shifted and lay on his side instead, staring at the sky just above the walls of the church. He didn’t get stress headaches when he was the fox, ever. It was strange to shift in front of people, though. Michael was one thing, but it felt like he was getting naked in front of everyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That wasn’t normal, was it? That shame. That’s why Michael had been so upset to see them telling Jack not to shift. He kept telling Adam to shift, so he had tried to make him happy by shifting more in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He thinks I’m broken, and he has to fix me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Adam realised with horror. Good God. He’d have to do something about that. Tonight’s display wouldn’t have exactly helped with that impression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clear mind. Clear mind. Right. Adam wasn’t really sure how to do that. He tried counting the stars, but there were so many of them he lost his place way too easily. He tried listening to the chirping of crickets instead. It was as annoying as ever, but it filled his head with a distracting enough noise. He relaxed a little further on the floorboards and allowed it to push his mind to a dreamy fugue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was called back by Michael’s voice announcing, “Servants of the night, please return to your seats. It is time for the thirteenth hour.” Adam reluctantly sat up, shifting to human as he did so, and glanced at Kaia, the only other one to sit up. She hid a smile and nodded at Claire, Alex and Mom all soundly napping inside the circle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will need to wake them,” Michael told them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three of them roused the others. Claire sleepily blinked awake, while Alex leapt up in alarm, half-shifting before she realised where she was, and Mom startled and looked around in a panic before focusing on Adam’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I - I - I - sorry,” she said breathlessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s okay,” Adam said. “Michael said it was okay, remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He - yes,” she said, watching the witch return to his place in the circle. “I remember.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to begin the thirteenth hour,” Michael called out, and Adam scampered back to his spot, barely even aware he shifted in and out of his fox form as he did so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The thirteenth hour calls for a ritual sacrifice,” Michael instructed them. “I have caught a wild boar in preparation for the ritual. We will slaughter the animal and offer its blood to the Dark Lord before devouring the flesh ourselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>there </span>
  </em>
  <span>was a ritual Adam would have expected from a night dedicated to a dude called the Dark Lord. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaia asked, “You caught a boar? Where is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael got up to the second, currently untouched gym bag and unzipped it. He reached inside with both arms and pulled out an entire boar struggling against Michael and its bindings to no effect. A boar which was clearly much larger than the gym bag. “Is that another pocket dimension?” Adam asked curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael turned and nodded at him proudly. Adam grinned back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will need assistance with the slaughter,” Michael said. “I will cut the beast’s throat myself but someone must collect its blood in the glass ritual bowl. We must also prepare the slain beast for consumption in a particular way; I will walk everyone through it. Who would like to pool the blood?” Michael asked, looking around at everyone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam was about to volunteer, but he was feeling a prickly disturbed feeling at the back of his mind. It wasn’t him, or even Michael, he thought. It was more external than that. One look at his mom’s extremely pale face was more than enough to deduce the culprit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael, I’m going to recuse myself from this one,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” Michael said. Adam felt a tinge of disappointment but it was quickly muted. “Very well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Hey Mom, will you come sit with me outside?” he said to his very pale mother, not really asking, and took her by the arm out into the woods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” he said, checking her carefully. She was cold and shaky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you come to this. You could have stayed home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I wanted to come,” she said shortly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure? You look miserable.” He smoothed her hair back for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I - I have some bad memories of Sabbath. But this one is fine. Your witch is much less strict than he appears. The priests at - my old coven wouldn’t have allowed us to just decide not to participate for an hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael wants sincerity,” Adam explained. “I think to him, forcing people to worship is anathema to the Service. He would rather people excuse themselves rather than do it against their will, because that’s not truly devout.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sound you understand him pretty well,” Mom said with consideration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we’re bonded. I guess we’re forced to understand each other.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>When our brains leak into each other.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm.” They stood there quietly for a few minutes, until Mom said, “You don’t have to stay with me, sweetheart. You can go watch the sacrifice.” She winced as she said the last word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure? We’ll do it again next month, though, won’t we?” Adam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is your coven’s first one, though,” Mom pointed out. “Don’t you want to be there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, that was true. And probably why Michael had felt disappointed. “You - you’re sure?” Adam asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go, baby,” she encouraged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam hesitated, but. “I’m not gonna leave you on your own out here. I’m staying.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Michael was thrilled when they returned for the next hour. It was obvious to Adam, but given Michael welcomed them back with his usual High Priestly dignified composure it may not have registered with the others. Adam was just glad to see Mom was a little more relaxed as they carried out the rest of the Sabbath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they wrapped up, Michael informed them that he would also be holding a Sunday service in two hours, and everyone was welcome to come. Adam stayed with him to help set up the church for the different service. Apparently, the two Lords differed in what symbols they liked painted around their place of worship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there an adjustment I can make that will help you stay?” Michael asked him out of the blue as they worked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want you to participate in all the hours. Is there an adjustment I can make to the thirteenth hour that will make it amenable to you? I am not averse to making changes. I have already casualised many parts in order to fit with a small coven.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no,” Adam said as he understood. “I’m fine with it. It’s just cause Mom was a little stressed that we needed to go take a break for a bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mother?” Michael said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think,” Adam glanced around, even though he was pretty sure no one else was around. “I think she was having some trauma resurface from her old coven’s Sabbaths. I get the feeling they weren’t ‘casualised’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Michael said. “I did give everyone permission to recuse themselves, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think she would have withdrawn on her own. I think she came with the intention of protecting me,” Adam said uncomfortably. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Michael said. He was silent for a few moments, then said, “I would ask for your recommendation on what to do, then. I think your judgment would be best in this situation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Adam said. “I’ll think about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Family Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Crisp and clear water rippled around his ankles as he stepped into the shallow pond. There was something in the middle, but his vision was too blurry to make it out. He picked it up, and realised it was a raven. The same as the one that had delivered him to Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something was burned into its neck. He propped up its head to see the symbol of the Lord glowing faintly through the feathers. What…!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The raven cawed, and Michael heard the rustling of wings all around him. He looked up to see more ravens flying into the area, landing and watching him. The first raven was staring up at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A message? What is it?” he asked, feeling very confused. This was unprecedented. He was far too unimportant to be contacted by the Lord.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A raven flew directly into him, its beak digging hard into his arm. As blood spilled down his skin, he vaguely became aware he was naked. He flung the bird off, but more were coming to attack him. Beaks and talons in his skin, his hair, his eyes. He curled over himself to protect his face, the original raven still in his arms. His attackers were relentless, and it hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop, stop,” he cried out. He didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>understand</span>
  </em>
  <span>. What was happening?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The onslaught continued, and the quantity of his attackers only increased. At the worst of it there must have been a hundred birds trying to get their beaks into him. Torn and bloody, Michael was curled around the raven, weeping with pain, when a familiar voice echoed through the area.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael? Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam. Oh no. “Adam, stay back,” Michael warned. “They’re vicious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam ignored his warning and came closer. He had a very warm glow around him today. “Michael, you’re having another nightmare. They’re not real.” The birds dispersed as he walked through them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael held on tight to the harbinger. “Adam, go home. This is dangerous.” The pool of water had long been red with blood. Michael watched his partner with terror as it splashed up onto Adam’s pants and stained them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael, I am home, and so are you. We’re in bed. You’re okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael shook his head. Adam smiled at him with sad eyes and carefully reached for him. “You’re safe, baby. I promise.” He paused. “What are you holding?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael uncurled a little to show Adam the raven. As soon as it was exposed, his attackers started diving directly at it. Alarmed, Michael resumed his protective pose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shoo,” Adam snapped. The birds vanished, all at once. Only the first remained, tucked under Michael’s arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?” Michael asked, speechless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baby, you’re dreaming,” Adam told him. “You’re asleep. This isn’t real.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael glanced at the hands clamped securely around his arms. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>felt </span>
  </em>
  <span>real.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not Adam?” he tried. “Just my subconscious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>real,” Adam corrected him confusingly. Michael nodded as if he understood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam examined the raven that Michael was wrapped around. “Is this you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is the raven that carried my soul for some time. Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you,” Adam cut himself off as he found the burning symbol. “What’s this? I feel like I’ve seen it before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is the Lord’s symbol,” Michael said. “He has returned the bird to me as some kind of message.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which lord?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Lord,” Michael replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are two lords. Right? The Good Lord and the Dark Lord. Which one of them is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam, that doesn’t make any sense,” Michael said patiently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the Lord’s symbol,” Michael repeated, unclear on why Adam didn’t understand. Adam was his everything. He should know what he means.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam sighed. “Can you wake up for me, babe? You don’t make any sense when you’re asleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Asleep?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Can you try to wake up for me, please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will try,” he promised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael woke up. The room was dark, so he swiftly rose and went to the window to open the blinds. It was pitch-black outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael,” he heard Adam calling. “Come back to bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He obediently went back and lay down, his back against Adam’s chest as he checked the time on his phone. It was barely two in the morning. How strange.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I wake you, dearest?” he murmured, clasping a hand over the arms Adam had wrapped around him as soon as he had come back. “I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I woke you,” Adam argued. “You had a nightmare again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I?” Michael wondered. Adam had accused him of having nightmares four out of the last seven nights. If it was anyone else, Michael would have thought he was being gaslit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, actually, I had a question about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael frowned. “I don’t remember my dreams. I told you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but I remember what I saw. Um, you were holding a raven. It was the one you were possessing when we met. And these other ravens were dive bombing you, I think trying to attack the one you were holding. But when I got close enough to look at that one, it had this symbol burning on its skin. You said it was the Lord’s symbol, but you wouldn’t tell me which one, and you got really confused when I asked about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was a lot to take in. “Corvids are portents of secrets and death,” he said, guardedly. “I’ve been engineering deaths. That’s not too strange.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what about the symbol?” Adam pressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael reached over to turn on the lamp. “Show me,” he instructed, holding his arm out. Adam flexed his hand into a little fox paw and carefully traced out a symbol on his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I’ve seen it before,” Adam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael peered at it. “Yes, you would have seen it in my spellwork. This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>your </span>
  </em>
  <span>symbol.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My symbol?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I imbued you a sigil as I will need to include or exclude you from spells from here on out,” Michael explained. “A shortcut, basically.” Michael was eager to begin magic lessons with Adam, once his exams were finally over. He knew the fox would be a good student.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Adam said slowly. “Why did you keep telling me it was the Lord’s symbol in your dream, then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My dream-self must have joined the church of Adam,” Michael said. Adam laughed, and Michael looked at him curiously. “Or perhaps you are one of the Lords in disguise, a secret I understand in my soul and not my brain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael, this is serious,” Adam breathed into his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Serious? Wasn’t it just a bad dream?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You - you said in the dream that the raven was a message from the Lord. So I thought maybe you were having a vision.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t receive visions,” Michael said. “I’m not a psychic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know? You never remember your dreams,” Adam pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t remember your dreams. So maybe you’ve had a ton of visions while you were sleeping, you just never remembered them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surely not,” Michael said, taken aback. “What would be the point?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The point?” Adam shrugged. “I don’t know, Michael, sometimes shit just happens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense,” Michael said, his jaw tightening at the thought. “The Lords wouldn’t be sending visions to someone who wouldn’t remember them. What a waste of time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Adam said, squeezing him. “I get it.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Michael searched desperately for a home for him and Adam while his fox undertook his exams. Every second Michael spent in those heretics’ house he could feel his soul growing more corrupt. He found a house in a nearby county for an affordable price. It wasn’t ideal, but it would serve as a transitional home while he and Adam looked for a more permanent property, he thought. He enchanted the bank advisors into giving him a generous mortgage, and the seller into giving him the keys before the transaction had been finalised. He really was in quite a hurry, he explained to the charmed mortal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The home required some renovations to make it liveable. Michael busied himself with the work, while also preparing lessons for Adam, once he was finished with his mortal education. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam had grown somber, quieter; Michael wasn’t sure if it was the stress of exams or if it was a more permanent change, brought about by their bond, perhaps. He would frequently turn to see Adam staring at him and then quickly averting his gaze. It was strange.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael grew worried one afternoon when Adam hadn’t returned to him, over an hour after his exam had been due to end. The fox had taken to running straight from his campus into his witch’s arms, and yet, he hadn’t arrived. Michael collected Adam’s hair from one of the combs he had set aside and cast a simple tracking spell. He found the familiar wandering in the woods, a lost look on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam?” Michael said. The boy jumped and turned around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael, hey,” he said casually. “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looking for you, obviously. Are you lost?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Adam said, a slightly guilty expression crossing over his face. “I’m, uh, looking for the raven.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The raven?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The one you were possessing. Um. I think it’s important. You keep dreaming about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We shared a body for a long time,” Michael said slowly. “That’s not unnatural.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is unnatural,” Adam protested. “It’s something to do with the Lords. You say so in every dream.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam’s voice was calm, measured. Why did it feel like he was getting upset? Or was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Michael </span>
  </em>
  <span>getting upset? “Very well,” he said, trying to keep his face steady. “I kept a couple of its feathers. We can perform a tracking spell, if it’s still alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They found the bird trapped in a hole, its wings bruised and broken. “Dear me, you’re a bit of a disaster, aren’t you?” Michael murmured. “Can’t leave you alone for five minutes.” He weaved some rudimentary healing magic through the bird and handed it to Adam once it had recovered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam held it awkwardly. “Well?” Michael asked him. “Was that our mission?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… don’t think so,” Adam said carefully. “We’ll take it home, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael shrugged. He wouldn’t mind keeping a bird as a pet. “I can take it to the new house,” he suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah,” Adam said, looking down at the raven. “You’re gonna finally let me move in, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Did you pass all your exams?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. Probably,” Adam said, rolling his eyes at his expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You may move in,” Michael said. “There is no rush. I’m sure you’re nervous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah. I can’t wait. Besides, I already left the coven. No point sticking around.” Adam had formally left his family’s coven at their false Sabbath meeting last week, the first Saturday of May. It seemed it had gone down without too much notice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Michael said. That wasn’t any trouble for him. He had, in amongst his other business, long since finished quietly altering the fates of those who had neglected Adam during his upbringing. Dean would be the first to die, as Michael needed to ensure his foster son’s wellbeing. If Castiel began taking proper care of Jack once he was untethered to Dean, Michael would leave them be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had given Dean two months.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While they were packing up Adam’s belongings, Adam took a break to carefully draw down some symbols on a scrap piece of paper. He handed it to Michael. “Can you read this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Arcanum. The first thing you’ll be learning,” Michael said, at a glance, but did a double take once he actually read the symbols. “Where did you see this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does it say?” Adam pressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Vanth sha,” Michael said, disgusted at even having the words come out of his mouth. “It’s blasphemy, Adam. Where did you see it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In one of your dreams,” Adam answered. “It’s blasphemy? What does that mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s - it’s a sacrilegious act,” Michael said, reluctantly. He’d rather not speak of it, but he could tell Adam would not be turned away. “Performed on a familiar. It - it traps them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Traps?” That didn’t quite seem to be the answer Adam was looking for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Takes away their divinity, their ability to shift. They will be stuck in one form for the rest of their life. It’s - it’s true evil,” Michael told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Adam said slowly. “So you haven’t done it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course not</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Michael hissed, perhaps a little too loudly. Adam took a whole step back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not - not going to do it on Lucifer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill </span>
  </em>
  <span>Lucifer,” Michael snapped. “I am not going to perform the most unholy crime in all existence.” Adam - how could Adam think that of him? He sat down on the bed, his heart heavy with the feeling of betrayal. Adam carefully removed the box he was holding so he could crouch in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Adam said gently. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to hurt your feelings. What you described doesn’t sound that bad to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then I described it poorly,” Michael muttered. “Stripping away a familiar’s divinity, against the Lord’s will. It’s evil.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Adam said again, nuzzling against Michael’s cheek. “Do you - do you know what happens if they get stuck in animal form? Do they keep their mind, or do they think they’re the animal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, Adam. It’s simply not done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Got it. Sorry. I’m dumb.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not dumb. Quite the opposite.” Adam smiled, and sat beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know about that, chief. I’m starting to think I’m pretty dumb.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None of that,” Michael scolded softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went to visit Kate before they left the house for good. She was in her office, as ever. Michael felt sorry for her. She always seemed to be working on something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom - hey,” Adam said, going in for the hug. She was looking between them warily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s this? What’s going on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um - Michael and I are moving to our new house today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Today</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Adam, it’s late -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sun’s not down,” Adam said, “And we’re already packed. So, umm. I came to say goodbye.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is it?” she said, sounding upset.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean - I’ll still visit,” Adam said, but Michael didn’t like the sound of that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or you may join our coven,” Michael suggested instead. “We have plenty of room.” Adam whipped his head around at him, and Michael couldn’t quite read his expression. He thought Adam would have been happy to have his mother come with them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a generous offer,” Kate said drily. “I’ll have to think about it.” She straightened Adam’s collar. “You’re not staying for dinner?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, uhh. We’re gonna have it at the new place,” Adam told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. Well, goodbye then,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bye, Mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye, Miss Milligan,” Michael said politely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam tore into him the second the door shut behind them. “What the hell are you doing? You can’t just ask her to join our coven like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought she might like to join the coven her son is forming,” Michael replied in bewilderment. “What’s wrong with that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s way too last minute,” Adam said, shaking his head. “You completely put her on the spot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not last minute. She can join at any time,” Michael said calmly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is no way she read it like that,” Adam said, shaking his head as he went back into the room. He added something about an asshole as he went back to his room, but Michael had stopped at the stairs upper landing, his eyes focused on one of the people sat at the dining table. He flung one of his cursed knives at the rat, who jumped out of his seat and right into the second knife he threw, which caught his shirt and pinned him to the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gabriel,” Michael said, striding down the steps with anger. “Isn’t this a surprise?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh - Mikey - hey,” Gabriel said weakly, yanking at the knife as Michael approached him. It was planted firmly in the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just - just hanging out with my friends,” he said, gesturing at Sam and Dean sitting at the table behind them, gawking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Loki?” Sam said in disbelief. Michael ignored them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m looking for the snake. Where is he,” he growled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lucy? He’s - oh. Um. Why?” said Gabriel, still struggling. Michael put his hand around his neck to still him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To kill him,” Michael said coldly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. I’ve got uh, good news. He’s already dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael’s heart stopped in his chest. “No. He’s mine to kill.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Gabriel said. “Dad was really mad. He killed him as soon as he found out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Father </span>
  </em>
  <span>killed </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lucifer</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Michael said, horrified at the notion. “His own familiar? Not - not possible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He kind of had to,” the rat said, his eyes darting around the room. “The gods were destroying the coven because of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael shook his head. “Stop lying, rat. Your story doesn’t make any sense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Gabriel said, cautiously. “Sorry. Um, Dad wants to see you, by the way. He sent me to look for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, perhaps </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>don’t want to see a witch who murders his own familiar,” Michael said with venom on his tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you were going to kill him, too!” the rat squealed in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He killed </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And I seem to recall you helped.” Michael pulled out a third knife. It was a pointless intimidation tactic - he didn’t have any real way to trap a familiar, Gabriel was just messing around - but it made Michael feel better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t help,” Gabriel lied. “He told me and Raph he had a cool new spell to show us. Didn’t actually tell us what it did. Michael, we didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop lying,” Michael said, and stabbed his ear for good measure. Gabriel didn’t even try to dodge it. Michael wondered exactly what he was playing at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please - Michael,” he whimpered falsely. Michael scowled. “Come see me and Daddy. Or - or Daddy will come see you. You live here, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I don’t,” Michael said. He could see Gabriel was bonded. It was most likely that Father had bonded his youngest son after he had killed Lucifer, if Gabriel was telling the truth about that. Gabriel probably wasn’t letting Michael stab him by choice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And - Gabriel’s breadth of magical experience was nearly as vast as Michael’s. It was probably obvious to him with a glance that Michael had meddled with the Winchesters’ fates. Michael couldn’t risk that knowledge being exploited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let the rat go, rubbing his forehead with a scowl. “I have a new home. You and Father may -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no no,” Adam said from behind him. Michael glanced over his shoulder to see his familiar standing very close behind. “We’re having a honeymoon for two weeks. They can visit after that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A honeymoon?” Gabriel said, temporarily losing the captured mouse facade as his voice became mocking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael was also surprised by this, but he didn’t mind the alteration. “Yes, for two weeks,” he agreed, and Adam nodded slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, okay, sure,” Gabriel said, after cocking his head to the side for a couple of seconds. “What’s the address?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it would be best if you gave me your phone number and I text you the address. After all, if anyone comes onto our property when I’m not ready I will have to execute the trespassers in self defence.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Gabriel said, grinning. “I guess I can just come back here if you forget.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The threat did not go unnoticed. Michael watched him stiffly as he wrote out a number on a scrap of paper. “Here ya go,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Michael said, calmly putting it inside his robes. “Are you here often, Gabriel? Castiel didn’t mention you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does Cassie live here?” Gabriel said, eyes twinkling. “I’ve never seen him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Gabriel was purposely visiting the house when his ex-cousin was out. Michael glanced back at the Winchester brothers, well aware his own brother had neatly sidestepped the actual question. Had he come here just to find Michael, or was he a regular?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean met his eyes, his face distorted with suspicion and disdain. Michael pushed it out of his mind. It wasn’t any of </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>business.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we were just about to head out,” Adam said, grabbing on to Michael’s hand. “Nice to meet you, uh, Gabriel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, Fox,” the rat said, a little taken aback, but not more so than Michael as he felt a brief but powerful wave of annoyance emanate from his familiar. He allowed Adam to drag him upstairs and didn’t look back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing, throwing knives in my house,” Adam muttered. “You look like a - ugh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He picked up one of the gym bags Michael had prepared for their move, now with all of Adam’s things loaded into them. Michael picked up the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The rat was here,” Michael said. He thought it was self-explanatory. “He helped Lucifer kill me. I have to get my revenge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He said he didn’t, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, of course he would say that. That rat would say anything to get himself out of trouble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Adam said, looking around the emptied room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s bothering you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, nothing,” Adam said, scratching his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, tell me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, it’s dumb.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do we have to ban the D word?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just um, he called me Fox. I thought bluntly just calling people by what animal they are was your thing. It’s a family thing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That didn’t make any sense. “You are a fox,” Michael reminded him. “It is obvious to anyone with a magical eye.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah but most people don’t call me </span>
  <em>
    <span>fox</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It’s rude. I thought it was a weird quirk of yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You consider it rude? You never told me that,” Michael said in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I thought it was a - a cute Michael thing. Maybe I have to reconsider.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am not cute,” Michael said, not sure he was understanding what was happening. “It is true that Gabriel is not usually so blunt. He usually uses nicknames on people that he’s just met, something I consider far ruder.” Adam was being possessive again, he thought. Perhaps this would soothe him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm,” Adam said, not particularly informatively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The new house wasn’t as cosy as the Winchester house - Michael preferred tidy open spaces rather than convenience - but he hoped Adam would adjust easily enough. If not, Michael would adjust for him. He wanted to be a good witch for the fox. Adam seemed distracted and not interested in enjoying their first night at the new house. Michael tried to hide his disappointment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam disappeared off to the kitchen, to make food, Michael thought, but when he checked on him half an hour later he just found him sitting at the kitchen table inspecting the raven.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is everything alright?” Michael asked. “You don’t like the house?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The house is great,” said Adam, his attention entirely on the bird. “Sorry. I’m just trying to figure something out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like me to cook you dinner?” Michael asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam grinned apologetically at him when he brought two plates of grilled chicken and salad over to the table. “Thanks. Sorry, I was being rude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s alright,” Michael said. “Should we put the raven in a cage?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam shrugged. “Go ahead. It’s not really behaving like a bird, so it doesn’t really matter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Very mysterious. Michael raised an eyebrow and conjured a cage for the raven anyway. He would rather not risk it getting in his food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Adam said, cutting his chicken. “When are we starting magic lessons?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow morning,” Michael said, quietly thrilled at his interest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not tonight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can do tonight, if you’re not too tired,” he said in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I’m looking forward to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael beamed.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Michael sat curled in Adam’s lap as he lounged into the recliner, knitting a blanket while the fox played on his phone. The grandfather clock in the corner ticked peacefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A fox jumped into Michael’s lap. Adam, he realised. He smiled down at his familiar as he settled back further into Adam’s lap, and continued knitting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this a nightmare?” Adam asked, sounding worried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A nightmare?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s all the bodies on the floor,” Adam said, looking down at the carpet of corpses around them. “But you seem pretty happy. Um.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dead people can’t harm us, dearest. Best not to worry about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay… and who’s the creepy dude staring at us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael looked over to the other recliner. Father was sitting there, staring at Michael without blinking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be rude, Adam,” he chided. “That’s Father.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, okay. No problem then.” Adam settled down on Michael’s lap, to Michael’s relief, his head turned in the direction of Father. He enjoyed a few minutes of peace before Adam suddenly jumped off his lap and bounced into Father’s instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, can you hear me?” he asked. Father’s head turned slightly, his eyes blank.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael?” he asked, his voice sounding very distant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Adam. What are you doing in Michael’s dream?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael, I can’t hear you,” Father’s tinny voice said. “I’m coming to see you soon. You talked to Gabe, didn’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Father,” Michael said dutifully. Father didn’t respond, and Adam came back to Michael’s lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was weird,” he said. “Does your father usually talk to you through your dreams?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think so. I don’t remember my dreams.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adam was an inquisitive student. Michael appreciated it, but he did wish Adam asked questions relevant to the level he was studying at, rather than at a level that not even Michael properly understood. He kept asking about souls, for some reason. Michael was just trying to teach him the Arcanum written language and some basic spells to start with. Soul magic was very much not the purview of a beginner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam’s Arcanum study was decent, as expected of a university student. He was able to cast some powerful magic, but shot off even the smallest spells quite wildly. It was typical for a familiar, especially for a novice, so Michael remained patient. Adam wasn’t shooting fireballs at his head on </span>
  <em>
    <span>purpose.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam spent a lot of time either studying, or inspecting the bird. Admittedly there was certainly something wrong with it. It walked around almost like a zombie if you pushed it, and stood in place if you stopped it. Perhaps Michael had damaged its mind while he was inside it. He had been possessing it for </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite </span>
  </em>
  <span>a long period, he recalled, although his memories of his ‘dead’ time were clouded in fog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael himself either stuck by Adam’s side or worked on improving the house’s defences in preparation for Father’s visit. Adam asked him, when he took Adam’s hand to hold while the fox was once more staring at the bird, “Don’t you have anything better to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Michael asked. “We’re on our honeymoon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Michael,” Adam said, air rushing out of him in a hurry. “We’re not on our honeymoon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told your brother that so he’d back off and give you time to prepare. Cos you seemed a little freaked out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Michael said. “I thought this was it for our honeymoon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah,” said Adam, breaking his focus to grin up at him. “We’ll go on a proper trip, okay? Once you put a ring on it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you want to exchange bonding rings?” Michael said. It was a little soon, but he didn’t mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are they different from wedding rings?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really,” Michael said. “They are usually exchanged a year from the bonding. They don’t have to be gold, or even metal. Other than that, essentially the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm,” said Adam. “So I got about ten months, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You may have as long as you like,” Michael told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope, I got ten months, and so do you. The one who makes the best ring gets a free favour. Game on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Michael said. He had been planning a pure gold band, thinking Adam would appreciate the simplicity, but perhaps this was a lack of effort on his part. The ‘best ring’? He didn’t know about that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or not,” Adam said, reading his face. “Just kidding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I will win, Adam Milligan,” he said sternly. “I do not take competition lightly. You will regret this.” He stalked off, feeling Adam’s amusement bubble up in his wake.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>(A proper trip. Michael would have been content enough to have a honeymoon at home like this, just him and the fox. Here, he could ensure their privacy, he mused, staring at the knife in his hand as blood slowly dripped down the blade and his arm. As high priest of their new coven, he was judge, jury and executioner of anyone who intruded into their territory. He burned the bodies of the teenagers that had been sneaking around </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>woods to ash. Best not to leave a mess; Adam might get upset.)</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>They held another Sabbath, the weekend before Michael was due to invite Father into their home. Adam contacted his mother and she and the younger ladies turned up once more. Michael had made even further adjustments to the Sabbath; usually some of the more gritty rituals were performed only by the older, more experienced part of the coven, and the younger people watched. He wasn’t entirely sure how it was done in smaller or younger covens, so he had just been childproofing all of the rituals. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael very strongly suspected the Dark Lord had taken actual possession of Adam last moon, so he kept a very close eye on the fox. It hadn’t been necessary to direct Michael to kill Adam’s family in the first place. How tiresome. Luckily, Adam kept his cool during the eleventh hour this time. Michael held his hand throughout.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kate, too, was much calmer this month. Michael wondered what kind of Sabbaths she had endured in the past. It was likely whatever coven she had been with in the past was not as concerned with child welfare as much as Michael was. Michael himself had never held such relaxed Sabbaths; while conducting them in his Father’s stead he had always made sure to run them exactly as Father had. Even now he had a paranoid feeling in the back of his mind that when he saw his Father he was going to punish him for not worshiping the Dark Lord correctly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nonsense, of course. This was Michael’s own coven, he thought nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam stayed for the animal sacrifice this time. Michael was glad to have his own familiar collecting the blood for him. There was something intimate about kneeling next to your own bond-mate and cutting into the flesh of an animal. Adam’s gorgeous face was so sharply focused, as well. Michael flushed. This was not an appropriate thing for the High Priest to be thinking about at this point in time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kate approached them after the Sabbath. “So, boys,” she said, looking between them. Michael knew that she was in her early forties and was thus about four thousand years younger than himself, but he didn’t correct her. “Is that offer still open?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What offer?” said Adam, while Michael said, “Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To join your coven?” she said to Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah, of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad to hear it,” she said. “I don’t think there’s much point in me sticking around there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She reasoned exactly like Adam did. Michael smiled at the resemblance. How sweet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll talk to John about leaving,” she continued. “It might take a couple of weeks to get everything in order.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is fine,” Michael said. “We are expecting a visit from my Father next week; it would probably be best to attempt a move-in afterwards.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you want me to move in with you?” she said. “I wouldn’t mind living on my own for a while.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah. “Either way suits us,” Michael decided. “You will be under our protection.” He glanced at Adam, who nodded in approval.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks. I’m looking forward to it,” she said, nodding while her eyes examined him thoughtfully. Another Adam-like gesture. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Father arrived a mere fifteen minutes after Michael texted him the address without even replying. Michael’s wards alerted him as soon as Father crossed the boundary, which gave him enough time to neaten things up and warn Adam. A sharp rap on the front door; he answered it and looked down at his Father, who was considerably shorter than the last time he’d seen him. He was dressed in a blazer and nice jeans, and the rat was clinging onto his left shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hello, puppy</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Father greeted him quietly in Arcanum. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s good to finally find you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hello, Father,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Michael whispered. Fear and shame had already gripped his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Father was waiting behind the threshold, which was somewhat reassuring. If Father simply decided to not play by the rules, Michael would have no chance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Come in,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he added, and Father graciously stepped into the house. “If - if we could speak English, please, Father. Adam doesn’t speak Arcanum yet.” He was almost sweating bullets just from making a request of Father. This didn’t bode well. This was a mistake. They should have hid -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is your little fox buddy?” Father asked, the epitome of serenity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The - the living room. This way, please, Father.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He led Father into their roomy living room. Adam was sitting on the sofa, leaning forward with his chin resting on his hands, his elbows between his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam,” Michael said stiffly. “This is my Father. Father, this is my familiar, Adam.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” Adam said. It was a little rude; he didn’t even get up to shake Father’s hand, but Father didn’t approach him either, instead cheerfully saying “Call me Chuck,” and electing to sit on the couch opposite. Michael was left awkwardly standing alone until Adam yanked him down to sit with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, the little fox.” said Father, peering at Adam. “Yes, I remember. It’s unusual to see a familiar glowing with so much power.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You remember?” Michael said, on edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes. I did see you two running around one of the condemned houses,” Father admits. “Uh, you broke one of my seals. I thought I’d come check it out. But I ended up spooking you into running away, I think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was you?” Adam said. “Why didn’t you just show your face then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It always pays to be cautious. I wasn’t expecting to find Michael, and definitely not in such good shape,” Father said thoughtfully. “I did end up losing track of you for a few weeks, didn’t I.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In such good shape?” Michael asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Father leaned forward, inspecting Michael’s face. “I’d like to say ‘all in one piece’, but, well. At least you’re walking and talking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael supposed alive was certainly in better shape than dead, but it troubled him that that didn’t actually seem to be Father’s meaning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I not in one piece?” he asked, picking up on the strange turn of phrase.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm,” Father said, now feeling his chest. “Yes, I think you’re a little incomplete. I think part of your soul is missing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense,” Michael said, his alarm overwhelming his fearful respect for Father. “Of course not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My soul is intact. I have been using it to cast spells at my regular potency, I assure you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but,” Father said, his eyes flicking over to Adam. “You’ve managed to construct some kind of bond with the fox, haven’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Adam,” Adam said suddenly and harshly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s overflowing with power,” Father continued as if he hadn’t heard. “You could very easily mistake his power flowing through you as your own, enough to substitute the missing portions of your soul. I mean, don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was stealing Adam’s soul? He glanced at Adam, but the familiar’s eyes were locked into Father’s. Michael did think it made sense. It explained why Adam kept thinking his own emotions were Michael’s. He was hearing them echo from Michael’s black hole of a soul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael took out a knife and twirled it through his fingers. If he only had half a soul, he was some kind of abomination. It may be best to simply eliminate himself here and now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No knives, puppy,” Father scolded, and with a neat jerk of his hands the knife disappeared and reappeared on Father’s lap. Adam shifted defensively in his seat. “I think we can find the missing pieces. Why don’t you tell me everything that happened after Lucifer shifted you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shifted me? You mean when he killed me?” Michael asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Michael,” Father said, frowning. “Do you not remember what happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I remember. The snake, the owl, and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>rat</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Michael directed an appropriate amount of venom at Gabriel, who hopped off Father’s shoulder and shifted so he could cuddle into Father’s side, “Trapped me in the attic to kill me. I barely escaped with my life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Father said patiently. “They cornered you in the basement.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Father, it was the attic,” Michael said, struggling to get the words out. Contradicting Father had always been forbidden. “I remember. I broke the window. There are no windows in the basement.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, you did escape from the attic window,” Father agreed calmly. “After you shadow-stepped to the attic from the basement. It looks like the forced shift granted you temporary lucidity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Forced shift? Shadow-stepped? “Father, are - are you trying to suggest Lucifer was trying to turn me into a familiar?” It was ludicrous, but Michael didn’t feel at all like laughing. He felt sick to his stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, puppy.” Father sighed and broke eye contact, looking out the window instead of at his son. “You were already a familiar: Lucifer was trying to change what form you were trapped in. It was my mistake. I shouldn’t have told him about your vanth sha.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Fox</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Elu Lugal, who now called himself Chuck Shurley, was born and raised in a village of witches in the land of Sumer, over four thousand years ago. The witches here believed that familiars were infernal aberrations, and performed vanth sha on every familiar born in order to seal away the ‘evil within’. Yes, it also sealed away part of their soul, but the witches strongly believed it was necessary to keep the monsters out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elu hadn’t even seen a familiar before he gave birth to his first son. The boy was so sweet and tiny in his arms, had such a warm and lively aura that Elu felt an immense joy he had never known before. The midwife had stared at the baby with worry, however; and when Elu’s husband had entered the room, he had taken one stony look at the child before marching out to alert the coven leaders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elu barely had two hours with his newborn baby Michael before they ripped out and destroyed half of his entire being. The baby was cold to the touch for weeks after the vanth sha; his eyes lifeless and disinterested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two weeks later, sitting at a party with the other women while the men of the village were allowed to carouse and laugh with each other, Elu snapped. How </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare </span>
  </em>
  <span>they enjoy themselves after stripping the ability to do so from </span>
  <em>
    <span>his newborn son</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elu was an accomplished witch, even if his talents weren’t recognised. The village burned that night: no survivors. There were rumours, for a while, of a deranged woman carrying a newborn spotted travelling from the direction of the destroyed town, but they didn’t linger in the people’s minds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elu set up shop in a different town, far away; he made his own coven, had more children, but he couldn’t fix Michael. Vanth sha was permanent. The child played with his younger siblings, them shifting freely while he was trapped in his human skin forever. Elu taught him as much witch magic as he could, hoping it would compensate for the power that was stolen from him.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“I told Lucifer, in confidence, when I was feeling low. I didn’t think he’d ever take advantage of it. He probably thought having Michael trapped as an animal would be a ‘nicer’ way to take over the coven as opposed to outright killing him. But…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Michael escaped,” Adam said. He was thrilled to hear this story. Michael had been having </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>strange dreams the last couple of weeks. He was finally getting some answers to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“From what Gabriel and Raphael told me, the forced shift temporarily activated Michael’s powers long enough that he was able to shadow-step to the attic and break out of the house,” Chuck agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam glanced at Michael. He was feeling busy, like he was thinking hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you were my mother,” Michael said slowly. That was his takeaway? Really?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The body I was born into?” Chuck shrugged.  “You must have been too young to remember me carrying the others. I feel more comfortable like this, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Father,” Michael said respectfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you tell Michael that he was born a familiar?” Adam asked. If Michael wasn’t going to address the issue head-on, he would have to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t want Michael to grow up feeling like he was missing something,” Chuck said. “That shame was mine alone to bear. I made sure he was always my happy little puppy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But he’s a raven. Not a puppy,” Adam pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Chuck said, much more darkly. “That was a shock to me, too. He didn’t have a chance to shift before they - well… I always thought he’d be a cute little doggy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Father.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam pinched him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So - Michael - I need you to tell me what happened while you were in your other form. We need to find your missing bits,” Chuck said haltingly. “Um - what you can remember, that is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael frowned. “I was possessing animals for a while. I suppose if it is as you say I was just the one animal, though. I flew around for a while and then I found Adam. Through our bond I rebuilt my strength and then was able to remake my body.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ‘remade’ it? How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, err, constructed the flesh and bones and everything else with magic,” Michael said. “Then I went inside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Separate to your original body?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was under the impression my original body was destroyed. So yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam was vibrating quietly with excitement. He knew - he </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>Michael’s raven had been important - it obviously wasn’t a real bird - but Michael’s dreams had misled him, slightly: he had been under the impression somehow that the Dark Lord’s soul was trapped in it -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stilled. There was something still hovering beyond the depths of his understanding, and he had no clue how to reach it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuck was saying something, Adam strained to make sense of it. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>-is </span>
  </em>
  <span>your soul. We’ll have to find it, and then, I’m not sure how we’ll reunite the pieces.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam already retrieved the raven. He knew it was my soul,” Michael said proudly. “Should I eat it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s probably not the best method. Uhh,” Chuck said. “Well, let’s have a look. Where is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael looked hopefully to Adam, who returned with an expression that he meant to read “Are you sure?” He nodded, but Adam still felt unsettled as he went to retrieve the raven. Michael became very childlike around his father, and not in a cute way. He was scared and obedient and naïve. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And now Adam was bringing his exposed soul out to his father, whom Michael was terrified of and had spent the last two weeks warding the house against. And whom Adam had just heard recount with a haunting serenity the tale of how he had slaughtered his entire birthplace. “Is this a mistake?” he whispered to the bird in its cage, its eyes blankly staring at him. It didn’t reply, but strangely, Adam felt a little soothed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he returned to the living room, Chuck was right in Michael’s face, brushing his hair with his fingers as he spoke what Adam recognised to be Arcanum in a low tone. Adam stopped and watched the oddly peaceful scene.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The strange thing was, Adam was </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure </span>
  </em>
  <span>he’d seen Chuck before, at the Winchester house, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>equally </span>
  </em>
  <span>sure he hadn’t been acting anything like this. He was like a king, and Michael revered him as such. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam felt the now familiar coil of jealousy surge up in his stomach. Michael should revere </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>, always had </span>
  <em>
    <span>revered him </span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gabriel was grinning at him, amused. Adam lifted his head and frowned down at him and Gabriel jumped back a little on the couch in genuine shock. He should be scared. Adam wouldn’t tolerate mockery from a mere - mere -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I brought the raven,” Adam said, entering the room properly. Michael looked up from his father’s caresses and smiled tenderly. Adam’s face softened in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Adam,” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam sat back down next to Michael and laid a possessive arm over his shoulder after placing the birdcage on the coffee table between them and Chuck. Chuck opened the cage and inspected the bird with a frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How are we going to do this? Mmm-hmm.” Chuck carefully tilted the head of the raven up to face him. “So this is Michael, is it? What a big boy you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Father, I am sorry to tell you this but that is an average sized raven. They are rather large for corvids,” Michael explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what I am hearing is Michael is rather large for a corvid,” Chuck said absently. “Hmm. We’ll have to separate the physical body from the metaphysical. Then figuring out how to get Michael’s soul to reabsorb the missing parts would be the next step.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know how to separate them?” Michael wondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s - we’ll try a few things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do be delicate, Father, if it really is my soul.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Delicate is my speciality,” Chuck said, as he put a hand glowing with magic through the bird.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adam watched Michael’s father work magic with interest. Michael cast spells by spinning and weaving his magic like threads; Chuck, on the other hand, built up the spell like building blocks, one piece after another, solidly constructed at the base and elegant at the top. Adam preferred Michael’s. They were both extremely skilled, naturally; but there was an elegance to how Michael could dance the magic around his fingers that Adam found very pleasing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuck’s spellwork was efficient, however, and it only took him half an hour to work out how to draw Michael’s soul out of the raven, the remnants of Michael’s old body. Without anything to hold it together, the raven fell to ashes. Adam scooped up the ashes and held them in his hands. He had no intention of letting the raven disappear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now we need to siphon it back into your soul,” Chuck said. “Come closer, and -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do it,” Adam interrupted. It was the best way to ensure Michael’s safety, he thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll transfer it back into his soul through our bond,” Adam explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your bond. Yes,” Chuck said, sounding disgruntled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a good idea,” Michael agreed. “Father, you already suggested Adam’s been filling up my soul with his excess energy. If so, it means my soul is willing to absorb energy that comes from Adam.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I know,” Chuck said. “This bond of yours, it, well, fine. Go ahead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now Adam didn’t know a thing about souls, or metaphysics, or any of this kind of stuff. He’d been asking Michael, but Michael had been insistent on trying to teach him things more at the level of “don’t set the entire house on fire when you try to melt this icecube.” But there was an ominous buzzing at the back of his head that had become louder and bossier as the day went on, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>it </span>
  </em>
  <span>knew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He breathed in the parts of Michael’s soul lying exposed on the table, folding it into his own to the rhythm of his soul. Adam sat on the edge of the couch, eyes closed, body unmoving, and transferred Michael’s soul-parts back to him with an ease that transcended the mortal realm. He could do this because he was designed for this because he had come here for this because he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>designed his entire soul for this </span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael shuddered and gasped, clinging onto Adam as he was delivered back unto himself. Adam’s eyes fluttered open at the sudden physical anchor but his work remained steady; he gently fed Michael back into his own soul as Adam’s own power spilled out of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam completed the transfer and had no time to draw back as he was overwhelmed by a blistering array of emotions suddenly flooding into him from Michael: wonder, concern, shock, fear were now flowing into Adam’s mind at their full volume. He hadn’t known Michael could </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel </span>
  </em>
  <span>that strongly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael’s arms wrapped tight around him were now the only things keeping Adam upright; he struggled to keep his eyes widen open, his vision swimming as he tried to come back to the physical realm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam? Dearest?” Michael was murmuring over and over into his ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s done,” he managed to gasp out. Michael was </span>
  <em>
    <span>too much</span>
  </em>
  <span> for him. Why was he so </span>
  <em>
    <span>loud?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s done?” Michael’s eyebrows skyrocketed up. “That was remarkably quick.” His voice echoed too much </span>
  <em>
    <span>too much </span>
  </em>
  <span>in Adam’s head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, what can I say,” Adam said weakly. “I’m remarkable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael kissed him on the top of his head. “There was no rush. You shouldn’t overdo it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except there </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>a rush. Adam should have done this job a decade ago - no, three hundred years ago, but poor planning and timing and mismanagement had kept him from the high priest for far too long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Adam agreed instead. He wasn’t sure how to explain any of that to Michael. He couldn’t even explain it to </span>
  <em>
    <span>himself</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me have a look,” Chuck said impatiently, leaning forward and getting in their space once more. His hand once again lit up and he reached </span>
  <em>
    <span>inside </span>
  </em>
  <span>Michael; Adam tensed defensively, ready to attack, while Michael sat there blankly staring at his father. And then he withdrew his hand with zero fuss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It does seem to have worked,” Chuck said, guardedly. “Through your bond.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there a problem, Father?” Michael asked anxiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Michael,” Chuck hesitated. “Technically speaking, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>a familiar. You haven’t been able to bond with a familiar before, have you? Just channeled them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Father. But I bonded with Adam very easily,” Michael said patiently. “We have a high compatibility.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that doesn’t strike you as strange? Familiars can’t bond with other familiars.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael felt… vulnerable. Like he was aware he was about to step on broken glass with bare feet. “And yet I have bonded with Adam, Father,” he said quietly. “I don’t see much good in questioning it. Perhaps it is simply one-in-a-million, rather than impossible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael was trying so hard not to think logically about the bond, Adam knew, because he was worried he would come to the conclusion that it wasn’t real. Adam wished he could reassure him, but he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>also </span>
  </em>
  <span>trying to avoid thinking about it for a very different reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Chuck said, looking between the two very solemn men. “Well.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adam cooked lunch, gave the two of them space to talk. Chuck was very clearly only interested in speaking with Michael, which was fine, it made sense, and yet it made Adam feel a little lonely anyway. He tried to reassure himself by thinking about how if they had Mom over she probably would mainly be paying attention to Adam in kind. Mom hadn’t quite warmed to Michael yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gabriel came into the kitchen as well, poking around their cabinets. “You get kicked out?” Adam asked inattentively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad didn’t want me talking to Michael,” Gabriel sniffed. “He thought Michael would stab me again if I did. Hey, why don’t you guys have any candy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael did the grocery shopping,” Adam shrugged. “Guess it didn’t occur to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, come on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam watched him dig desperately through the cupboards. “I think we have strawberries in the fridge,” he suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gabriel flung open the fridge doors like a man in a desert finding an oasis. “Yes!” he said, excitedly grabbing the punnets from the top shelf. “It’ll do, but - hey!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam laughed to himself as Gabriel noticed the boxes of chocolate piled onto the middle shelf. He turned to Adam with a look of mock betrayal. “Why are you keeping these in the fridge?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t like it melted. Hey, aren’t you going to ask before eating my food?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gabriel had already ripped one of the boxes open. “If you wanna stop me, go ahead and stop me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam watched him in bemusement. It was hard to imagine he was related to Michael in any way. On the other hand, wasn’t that exactly how Michael had formed their bond?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission indeed.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Chuck and Gabriel didn’t hang around long after lunch. Adam was glad to see them go. Now that Michael’s soul was put together, Adam could sense that when Michael was on edge, he was really </span>
  <em>
    <span>on edge</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Adam felt like his throat was constantly brushing up against the tip of a knife..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Michael. There was another thing I wanted to talk about before we go,” Chuck said, smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Father?” Michael said, already risen from the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gabriel noticed that someone seems to have altered the Winchesters’ lifespans. I’m afraid I need them, so would you be willing to unalter them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Michael said, the most firm he’d sounded all morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah - well,” Chuck said, blinking in surprise. “Gabriel or I will do it, I suppose. We really do need them, puppy -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Father, are you suggesting interfering in my coven’s business?” Michael said, and Adam was pleased in how quickly his voice had gone from docile to dangerous. “The Winchesters have caused harm to Adam by neglecting his upbringing. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>will </span>
  </em>
  <span>die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael,” Chuck said, his voice and attitude also hardening up, “I think it would be best if you reconsider this. Our affairs are much more extensive than your little coven. You need to comply.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I act on the Dark Lord’s will, Father,” Michael said. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>cannot</span>
  </em>
  <span> comply.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did Michael know? Adam glanced at Michael, his expression fierce, his perfect predator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Dark Lord - really, Michael,” Chuck said. “I’m sure the Lord understands.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Are </span>
  </em>
  <span>you sure?” Adam said, in a low voice that reached through the entire room and the entire house. Chuck’s eyes slowly turned to him, while Gabriel clutched a hand into his father’s side. “A high priest </span>
  <em>
    <span>does not </span>
  </em>
  <span>dictate what the Dark Lord wills. You must only obey.” The room was well lit; Michael had placed big windows in the wall facing the garden. Chuck’s pupils were pin pricks in the light. What lovely targets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t -” he started, but Gabriel had greatly paled and was squeezing Chuck hard enough for him to take notice. He glanced at his pallid son and finally relented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine… well, maybe I’ll give it a rethink.” He idly appraised Adam as he rose from his seat, but didn’t comment further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for coming, Father,” Michael said at the front door. “I hoped you enjoyed your visit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did, yes,” Chuck said affectionately. “I’ll be sure to drop by again soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will you?” Michael said neutrally, his smile becoming a little fixed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was nice meeting you as well, Adam,” his father continued. Adam nodded, or at least, raised his chin slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the pair had finally gone, Michael cornered Adam on the couch, bearing down on him with a wrinkled brow. “Are you alright? You’re acting very strange.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I? I don’t think I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael fixed Adam’s hair. It was almost the exact same motion Adam had seen his father use on him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t do that,” he said, pushing Michael’s hand away with annoyance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were </span>
  <em>
    <span>many </span>
  </em>
  <span>things wrong right now. Adam elected to tell Michael one he could understand. “Your dad kept putting his hands on your soul. I don’t like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was trying to help,” Michael said kindly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care.” Adam’s voice was at the height of brattiness, but it didn’t matter. He wanted Michael to </span>
  <em>
    <span>listen </span>
  </em>
  <span>to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm.” Michael opened his mouth and then closed it. “I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For what?” Adam said, brought out of his moody fog for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That Father touched my soul. I have upset you once again. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at me,” Adam muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Michael asked, eyes wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m doing a - a bad job.” He </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed </span>
  </em>
  <span>to change the topic. “Um - will you help me clean the kitchen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael’s eyes narrowed.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adam watched Michael sleep, his chest gently rising and lowering as he inhaled and exhaled. He had such a delicate expression when he slept. So open and vulnerable. So beautiful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam knelt above his high priest, touching his nose to Michael’s, an intolerable loneliness weighing him down. “Why can’t you remember me?” he murmured, but Michael didn’t stir. Adam could probably yell at him at full volume and he wouldn’t awaken. The night wasn’t Michael’s domain, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was the fox’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam laid a hand on his love’s soul. It was still incomplete, still damaged by the vanth sha. He remembered this. He had to fix it. With a trembling claw he cut into the flesh of his other arm. The red drops of blood tumbled out and became golden as their divinity consumed the mundane. He lowered his arm to Michael’s face and allowed the golden drops to fall directly onto his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You always do what I am too cowardly to do myself. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please drink my blood. It’s yours. I came here to save you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael was absorbing some of Adam’s essence, but not nearly enough. Adam would have to do something more invasive. But impossibly, Michael stirred. He blinked warily at the golden familiar on top of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t recall inviting the Dark Lord into my bed,” he said flatly, lying perfectly still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What? “No, Michael, it’s me - Adam.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am your humble servant. I will do anything you ask. But please don’t involve Adam in your games.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rejection stung Adam like a knife flung into his chest. “I’m - Michael, I’m me, I promise. Just me.” Always just him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael watched him blankly. It hurt. Adam could feel his whole world crumbling around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Adam. Please trust me,” he insisted hopelessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael’s face finally softened. Confusion. “Adam?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” he said with relief. “I shouldn’t have woke you up. I’m sorry, go back to -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re bleeding,” Michael said in alarm, taking his arm and rapidly weaving healing magic through it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dam burst, and tears started pouring from Adam’s eyes. Michael gripped his face in horror. “Adam? I’m sorry, dearest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Adam choked out. “I’m messing up. I’m messing up so bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Messing what up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need - I need to fix your soul.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael inhaled sharply in surprise. “There’s no rush, little fox -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is,” Adam hissed. “Every second you continue to stay locked inside yourself is another second my heart remains impaled on a spike. I can’t do this on my own anymore. I need you. I need you back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael was silent for a time. Then: “I’m yours. How can I help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just - just let me take care of you for once. You’re not my father. Okay? You need to let me take charge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An amused smile graced Michael’s lips, despite the situation. “I should hope I’m not your father. Otherwise that would make my thoughts about you </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>inappropriate indeed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam flicked his nose. “Not now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He needed a way to remove Michael’s defences. The witch was always on guard, even a little bit in his sleep. He was tense, now, even while he was trying to obey Adam’s instructions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Obedience, Adam thought. It’s getting in the way. Michael couldn’t expose himself while he’s in this mindset.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael, I want you to be silent while I speak,” he whispered. His love looked at him curiously. “I am going to worship you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began reciting the prayers to the Good Lord.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>(Two spirits, raven and fox. One hunts evil during the day, the other protects the good during the night. Their efforts go unnoticed by mortals, but the witches begin to worship them, and they cast their blessings on them in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One day, the raven doesn’t return from their hunt. The fox searches desperately, but fruitlessly, for their missing partner. Desperation turns to despair as the fox is forced to become guardian of both day and night, broken without their other half. The fox bestows more and more words of worship upon the witches, hoping their prayers will reach their beloved’s ears. For thousands of years, the fox works alone in anguish.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then one day, the fox hears the raven cry out. One brief cry of terror, before it’s cut off once more. The fox tracks it to the headquarters of one of the largest covens. A high priest has been betrayed, shifted, escaped -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fox is </span>
  <em>
    <span>furious</span>
  </em>
  <span>. They rain calamity down upon the coven and also upon </span>
  <em>
    <span>themself</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Its beloved has been right under their nose for millennia, and now, </span>
  <em>
    <span>now </span>
  </em>
  <span>they have no idea where the frightened raven has fled. Bruised, broken and useless, they finally turn to search for the raven after the high priest’s brother has finally been sacrificed. It takes too long, but eventually they find the mindless animal. They reach their long-lost partner and rescues them - </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But they can’t. They’re too far away, on a plane of existence much higher than Earth’s, and there’s several dimensions keeping their paws from the raven’s soul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They make their decision quickly. They will join the raven on Earth. It is the only way to fix things. Once they begin opening their soul to use their magic, they will remember to find the raven and fix them. It will take five or six years, tops. The fox is sure to be born into a coven where vanth sha is entirely unheard of, so the same fate that befell their beloved doesn’t trap them as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the fox isn’t born into that coven. Their pregnant mother is tossed into the street and makes do with the father’s coven, who doesn’t teach the fox any magic at all. The fox is always on guard and never learns to bare their soul. Not until the raven finds </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fox is a failure.)</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“You can do it, baby,” Adam urged. They were outside in the garden, and Michael was trying to shift, a great deal of embarrassment written on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t - don’t watch,” Michael requested. “I can’t do it with you watching me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was the fifth day in a row of Michael trying and not being able to do it at </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but saying that out loud wouldn’t be in any way helpful, so Adam bit his tongue and turned around obligingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could feel Michael </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying </span>
  </em>
  <span>to use the familiar’s magic that Adam had managed to unlock his access to, but he simply lacked the ability and skill to actually shift with it. Like becoming fluent in a language, it was very easy for a baby to do and very difficult for an adult. Technically possible, with a lot of work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He messed around on his phone while he waited. Michael was actually pretty shy and worked a lot better when he thought no one was paying attention to him. A while later Adam felt Michael rapping on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” he said. Michael stared at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you wanna stop for now?” Michael cocked his head a little. Adam finally realised the long and hard nails that had tapped on his shoulder were actually talons, and burst into a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It stops here. I can’t make it go further,” Michael said, baffled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes you can, baby. If you can do a little bit, you can do your whole body. I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve done a really great job,” Adam said, inspecting the talons perhaps a little too enthusiastically as the sharp claws easily cut into his fingertips and made them bleed. He winced and Michael immediately pulled away and started healing the skin over for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Careful,” he tutted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam wasn’t going to let a little blood hamper his mood. “This is so great! We need to celebrate. Come on.” He tugged Michael back into their house, and pulled out some snacks for them to share.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is your answer to everything always ‘food’?” Michael wondered dryly, awkwardly taking chips out of the bowl with his talons. Adam grinned when he noticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, are you not able to change those back?” he asked innocently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poor Michael. He blushed and looked away. Adam came and gave him a sympathetic hug from behind, hoping Michael couldn’t feel his wide smile pushing his cheeks into his back.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Mom came over to visit one stormy summer afternoon. “Hi, honey,” she said, pushing past Adam into the house, drenched in rain. “Sorry to intrude like this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t seem </span>
  <em>
    <span>super </span>
  </em>
  <span>sorry,” Adam commented, following her in as she made herself comfortable in the living room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is what it is. Where’s your boyfriend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael?” Uhh. Michael and Adam had both slowly been resuming their ancient duties as their memories trickled back into them, and given Michael’s expression when he had left the house, Adam was </span>
  <em>
    <span>pretty </span>
  </em>
  <span>sure something unpleasant was going to be done to some</span>
  <em>
    <span>body </span>
  </em>
  <span>unpleasant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He went out somewhere. He didn’t say when he’d be coming back.” True. Adam congratulated himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kate hesitated. “I wanted to make a request of the coven…” she trailed off awkwardly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, what’s up?” Adam asked. She looked strangely nervous. “Mom, the coven’s just the three of us. No need to be formal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s trouble with the Winchester coven,” she explained. “They’re being drawn into wars with a few different covens all at once. Things are looking pretty scary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Adam said, surprised, but not that surprised. Michael had altered so many lifespans that Fate had likely thought the simplest solution was to destroy the entire coven through war.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you two probably don’t want us to get involved, but. You guys have a pretty big house here. I thought maybe you could shelter some of the kids while things are dangerous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Adam said straightaway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Mom said, taken aback.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just kids though. Anyone my age at most..” Adam wasn’t so generous as to let </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone </span>
  </em>
  <span>into his house. Especially from the </span>
  <em>
    <span>coven that had kept him from Michael -</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s great, honey. Thank you. I’ll let them know.” Adam smiled at her, hoping his rage was sufficiently concealed. He didn’t want Mom to think he was crazy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So how’s the single life going?” Adam asked, after a pause, although that was definitely a poor way to phrase it. It’s not like Mom had actually been in a relationship with his dad -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, pretty good. It’s nice to have some time to myself. I’ve taken up painting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? I didn’t know you could paint.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t,” she laughed, and immediately drew up photos on her phone to show Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were watching </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seinfeld </span>
  </em>
  <span>together when the front door slammed quite loudly and Michael stalked into the room, skin glistening with moisture. “Adam, I -” his eyes flicked between Adam and Mom a few times before his brain seemed to register what was before him. “Your mother is here. Hello, Miss Milligan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Michael,” Mom said calmly. “It’s Kate, remember? Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I - yes. It’s raining. Adam,” Michael’s anger was radiating off him like flames, “I am taking a shower.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Adam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael stared at him, then wheeled around and wandered off. Adam gave him a few seconds, then said to Mom, “I’d better see why he’s upset,” and headed off after him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” he said, wrapping his arms around his beloved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I’m just in a bad mood,” Michael said, grumpily trying to remove his clothes with Adam hanging onto him. “I’m wet, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Magic yourself dry and come watch Seinfeld,” Adam suggested. “It’s funny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mother is there. She doesn’t like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She doesn’t not like you. Maybe if you come watch Seinfeld with us she’ll warm up a little.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam pressed his lips together as Michael’s face didn’t lighten up. “Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They were keeping them in cages,” Michael said quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Were they, baby?” Adam kissed him on the tip of his ear. “Did you kill them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you get them out of the cages?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Michael shuddered. “A lot of them were children…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam squeezed him harder. “I’m sorry, baby. Thank you for rescuing them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael stayed tensed and hard, like Adam was hugging a marble pillar. He shrugged Adam off after a time. “I’m wet. I’m going to have a shower.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, baby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please apologise to your mother for me,” he added. “I was rude earlier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, Michael. Feel free to join us if you change your mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mom looked up at him when he rejoined her. She was sitting forward on the couch, hands clasped anxiously in front of her face. “Is everything okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” said Adam. “He just had a bad day at work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mom’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t know he had a job.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Uhh. Well, he did have a job, but Adam didn’t want to break the whole </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ancient spirit that protects humans </span>
  </em>
  <span>thing to his mom yet. “I misspoke, it’s not really his job. He went hunting and saw something unpleasant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunting what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Monsters,” Adam replied coolly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like John?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t press him further, to his surprise, considering the massive waves of suspicion he could sense emanating off of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael came down a little later, in fresh, clean pyjamas, and cuddled into Adam’s side. He was still feeling down; Adam kissed his brow and hoped he would have good dreams tonight. He didn’t laugh out loud at the sitcom, but Adam could feel his amusement softly bubbling through their bond. It felt good.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Kevin, Claire, Kaia and Alex all came to stay with them. “Is Jack not coming?” Michael asked, sweeping his eyes over them when they first showed up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No - he’s staying with Cas,” Kevin explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm. Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kevin mostly stayed out of everyone’s way, the teenager rushing upstairs as soon as he finished a meal and never appearing otherwise. It reminded Adam of how he behaved in his old house, and he felt a little bad. He knocked on Kevin’s door one night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, are you okay?” he asked. “Is there something we can do to make the house a little more comfortable?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that’s cool,” Kevin said in a hurry. “Thanks.” He basically closed the door in Adam’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam confided his worry to Michael. “He’s a teenager,” Michael said with disinterest. “He’s probably masturbating.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ew! Michael!” Adam said, smacking his face with a pillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you not do the same thing?” he asked, idly turning the page of his book. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I stayed upstairs all the time because no one gave a shit about me,” he snapped. “I’m worried Kevin is feeling the same way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael shrugged. “So just give a shit about him. Either he will accept it, or he won’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do care,” Adam said, exasperated. “I’ll give it time, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll give it time? And then what? You kick him out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, of course not.” Adam paused. “I don’t know, I’ll give him treats to lure him out of his room or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael frowned. “You don’t give </span>
  <em>
    <span>me </span>
  </em>
  <span>treats. Should I become a recluse?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely not,” Adam said, hopping on top of him and giving him a light peck on the lips. “Here you go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael blushed, but said drily, “I hope that’s not the kind of treat you’re intending to give Kevin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam smacked him with the pillow again. He had a much better position to really whack him this time.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“You arranged to have my brother sacrificed,” Michael observed. “Didn’t you think I would want to kill him myself?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t really thinking. I was just acting. I didn’t really plan on them killing Lucifer, I was just throwing earthquakes and hurricanes and stuff at them. Once they killed him, I just remembered I had a higher priority, that’s all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t approve of necromancy, but perhaps we should resurrect Lucifer so I can really get my claws into him,” Michael suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” said Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael harrumphed, but Adam had spoken. That was that.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>When the seasons changed, they had a couple of unexpected visitors. Adam answered the door and found Gabriel and an unknown taller and dark woman standing there. She was a familiar. An owl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, that must be Michael’s brother, Adam realised. Or sister, he supposed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Adam,” Gabriel said cheerfully. “We came to visit Michael.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does he know you’re coming?” Adam asked suspiciously, carefully blocking the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope.” Gabriel grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael tried to contact me recently, but I couldn’t hear him,” the woman said, her imperious eyes examining Adam. “I would like to apologise for worrying him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. Uh, one sec.” Adam closed the front door and tugged on the bond; Michael quickly shadow-stepped into the entrance hall. He had gotten really good at shadow-stepping short distances, Adam thought proudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, your brother and sister are here,” he explained quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, the rat and the owl?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael’s eyes widened. “Oh -” He glanced at the door behind Adam. “They’re here? Did Father send them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They didn’t say. I didn’t ask, sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s okay. I love you anyway.” Michael brushed past him and opened the door. “What are you two doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael,” the woman said, extending her hand. Her voice was cold, but when Michael took it and they squeezed it seemed like quite the intimate embrace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Raphael,” Michael said, his voice also puzzlingly cold considering the array of warm emotions Adam could feel gently simmering inside him. “I tried to contact you with a blood spell, and it went to Father instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, so I heard from Father,” Raphael agreed. “My apologies, brother. I don’t know why it didn’t go through.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My soul was impaired at the time; perhaps that’s why.” Michael surveyed the two of them. “You two assisted Lucifer in harming me. I must get my revenge. It was brave of you to enter my territory knowing that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam wondered. Michael didn’t seem too angry right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But - Michael, I told you, we didn’t know!” Gabriel protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My apologies, Michael,” Raphael said again. Both her and Michael’s voices seemed to get more and more stiff and formal as they spoke to one another. “It is true we did help Lucifer corner you. What is your intended revenge?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael paused for a very long time. He wasn’t intending one of them to cop to it, Adam figured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’re willing to accept your punishment,” Michael said slowly, “You will do the tasks I assign you for one day. There is much I need done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well,” Raphael said. She seemed pretty anxious to please her older brother, Adam thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What - what if we don’t accept it?” Gabriel asked nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael turned his gaze to him thoughtfully. “Well, then I would rip the culprit’s fingernails out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I - I accept. Sorry, Michael.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm.” Michael was pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raphael’s agreeableness was apparently only due to a guilty conscience. Once she had returned after her day of tasks for Michael - naturally, punishing other bad witches - she was proud, short-tempered and seemed to differ with Michael on almost every opinion. The two of them were endlessly polite and formal, however, so Adam could only tell their fights were getting more intense by their tones growing slightly more frigid. Adam was relieved when she finally left her house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Man, you really hate her, don’t you?” he remarked to Michael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Raphael?” Michael said in surprise. “I love her. She is my favourite sibling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that that was saying much, considering the competition. Gabriel ducked out as soon as he finished serving his punishment, but not before stealing their entire candy supply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s run off back to Daddy, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gabriel has always been spoiled,” Michael said moodily. “He did bring Raphael here, though. That was brave of him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael nonchalantly pulled out of his knives and started playing with it. Adam sighed.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>(The news of the death of the Winchester family came with little reaction from the Milligan coven. They had already moved on. The high priest even graciously allowed several of the survivors to join with their coven, and collected the terrified little puppy Jack, who he found cowering in the debris of the burned-out Winchester house. Cas had died protecting Dean, with no idea his fate had already been sealed by the Good Lord.)</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adam wasn’t sure whether he preferred the Sabbath or Sunday service. It was true that it was fun to have six entire hours devoted to worshiping himself, but it was also a little exhausting. Every hour of the service really highlighted how the Dark Lord had had to take over </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>godly duties for the majority of human civilisation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the other hand, for Sunday service he was able to murmur his devotion to his beloved for an entire hour and Michael was unable to stop him. (Adam had taken over Sunday service since his memories had started coming back. Oddly enough, no one else had questioned it.)  The downside to </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>was that it was done in a room full of other people so Adam couldn’t worship Michael in exactly the way he wanted until </span>
  <em>
    <span>after </span>
  </em>
  <span>the hour of service, when he hurried Michael along to their bedroom for a second hour of service.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On their anniversary, Michael presented Adam with a gold band wide enough to fit around his neck. They’d decided to have a private bonding ceremony, so it was just the two of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>(</span>
  <em>
    <span>They didn’t allow the fact that they’d been bonded for far longer than a year to get in the way of their anniversary.</span>
  </em>
  <span>)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know I will lose the competition, but I thought simple would suit you best,” Michael said anxiously. “I can resize it to fit your wrist or your finger if you prefer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam didn’t hesitate. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael smiled and put it on Adam’s neck for him before waiting patiently for his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is, uhh, kind of stupid,” Adam said, producing the ring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael took it excitedly and examined it. “Lace? Did you make it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Um, you’re always weaving your spells. So I thought I would weave your ring.” This was a really stupid idea. Lace rings weren’t a thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet Michael was thrilled. “Thank you,” he enthused, slipping it on straightaway. “You win.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael, you realise it wasn’t a real competition, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a real competition, and you won,” Michael said seriously, slipping his fingers through Adam’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I think you won.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Michael said in alarm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not fair if only you get to judge. I guess it’s a tie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They argued lightly for a while, but it was all in fun. Adam was just beaming being with his perfect witch, perfect raven, perfect killer, perfect Lord, and perfect Michael. And from the way Michael gazed in awe at him like he was the rising sun, he knew his partner felt the same way. Their hands laid on each other, the blissful physical manifestation of their eternal bond.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you everyone so much for reading! And thank you to everyone who commented, I love reading your reactions to the story!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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